Girish Karnad (1938–2019) was a playwright, actor and director. His notable plays include, among others, Yayati, Tughlaq, Hayavadana, Naga-Mandala and The Dreams of Tipu Sultan. He worked in films and in TV across various languages – Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, English and Assamese – and in a number of capacities, including as actor, screenwriter and director. He served as director of the Film and Television Institute of India (1974–75), chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi (1988–93), and director of the Nehru Centre, London (2000–3). His work brought him numerous honours, including multiple National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards, the Kalidas Samman, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan and the Jnanpith Award.
