The stage as sanctuary: A tribute to the life and work of Ratan Thiyam

Ratan Thiyam, a titan of Indian theatre, passed away on 23 July 2025 at the age of 77. More than a director, he was a luminary, playwright, designer, poet and ‘cultural warrior’ who used the stage to confront modern chaos and shape a just society. His passing dims a guiding light in global performance. For over five decades, Thiyam forged a theatrical language that was intensely local – the ‘soul of Manipur’ – yet profoundly universal, transcending barriers through a visceral, poetic grammar.