Ratan Thiyam, renowned theatre personality from Manipur and a Padma Shri winner, died in Imphal on Wednesday. He was 77.

Thiyam was known for writing and staging plays that blended traditional Manipuri art forms with modern influences. He was the founder of the Imphal-based Chorus Repertory Theatre and served as the director of the National School of Drama between 1987 and 1988.

He also served as the vice-chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Thiyam was awarded the Padma Shri in 1989.

The Manipur government described Thiyam as a “towering figure in Indian theatre and a cultural icon of Manipur”, PTI reported.

“We join the artistic fraternity and the nation in remembering his extraordinary legacy,” the news agency quoted the state government as saying. “Heartfelt condolences to his family, disciples and admirers around the world.”

Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that Thiyam was a “true luminary of Indian theatre” and an “esteemed son” of the state.

“His unwavering dedication to his craft, his vision, and his love for Manipuri culture enriched not only the world of theatre but also our very identity,” the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said on X. “His work carried the soul of Manipur, echoing its stories, its struggles, and its beauty.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her condolences to Thiyam’s family and said that he was an “icon of Manipuri Theatre and a true legend who put Manipuri theatre on the global map”.

In a post on X, the Trinamool Congress chief said that “his unique blend of tradition and experiment enriched Indian performing arts immensely and resonated worldwide”.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called Thiyam “a leading light of the Theatre for Roots movement”. The BJP leader said that the playwright dedicated his life to bringing indigenous theatre and art practices to the global stage.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that Thiyam was one of India’s greatest cultural figures.

Describing him as a man of “strong political convictions”, Ramesh said that Thiyam was “anchored in the finest of liberal, pluralistic, and secular Indian traditions. He was bold and fearless till the very end, agonising over the fate that had befallen his lovely state”.

The Congress leader was referring to the ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities in Manipur that has killed at least 260 persons and displaced more than 59,000 persons since May 2023. There were periodic upticks in violence in 2024.

President’s Rule was imposed in February after Singh resigned.