Dr. Rama Yadav

Dr. Rama Yadav

 

is a distinguished theatre practitioner, educator, and cultural ambassador with over two decades of dedicated contribution to Indian theatre and Hindi literature. Currently serving as a Professor at Miranda House, University of Delhi, and as Visiting Faculty at the Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts, she seamlessly bridges academic scholarship with rigorous theatrical practice. A Ph.D. scholar in Hindi ka Nāṭya Vidhan: Paramparā aur Maulikta—a study rooted in Bharata’s Natyashastra, Western theatre, and modern dramaturgy—Dr. Yadav brings a rare interdisciplinary depth to her pedagogy and creative work.

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Her career spans multiple dimensions of performance and cultural exchange. As India’s Hindi Chair in Budapest under the ICCR Cultural Exchange Programme, she played a key role in promoting Indian culture abroad. Trained at the Shri Ram Centre and mentored for over twenty years by renowned theatre director Shri Bhanu Bharti, she has acted in and contributed to major productions while simultaneously developing her own directorial voice. As the Founder-Director of Shoonya Theatre Group, she has helmed more than twenty acclaimed productions, ranging from classics by Mohan Rakesh, Bhisham Sahni, Dharamveer Bharti, and Chekhov to her original works such as Mirza Ghalib and Kasturba ke Gandhi.

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A pioneer of the concept “Theatre of Poems,” Dr. Yadav has uniquely adapted long and short poems—such as Pralay ki Chhaya, Asadhya Veena, and Meghdoot—into compelling stage narratives. She has also adapted iconic short stories, curated the annual Arohan short story theatre festival, and expanded access to Hindi literature using modern platforms like YouTube, podcasts, and blogs. As an All India Radio Jockey since 1997, she continues to engage diverse audiences through voice and storytelling.

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Committed to community engagement, she manages Shoonya Theatre Studio—an open cultural space that hosts exhibitions, workshops, lectures, and art programs for children and emerging artists. Her work in Theatre-in-Education with NGOs, her support for folk artists, and her regular contributions as a critic, essayist, and interviewer further reflect her belief in theatre as a democratic, socially rooted practice.

Fluent in Hindi and proficient in English, Dr. Rama Yadav stands as a powerful advocate for the preservation, innovation, and global dissemination of Hindi literature and Indian theatre traditions, continually shaping the performance landscape with intellect, compassion, and artistic vision.