‘Nudi Namana’ to pay tribute to theatre artiste Indira Nair

The Indian Institute of Educational Theatre announced that it will stage “Nudi Namana”, a tribute event for the late Indira Nair, on Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Hardwick School campus in Mysuru. Senior theatre director Rameshwari Verma, AIISH Director Prof. M. Pushpavathi, theatre veteran Prof. H.S. Umesh, writer‑producer S.P. Raghu and Srinivas Palahalli of the Niranthara Foundation are slated to attend and speak about Nair’s legacy.

Indira Nair, born on 4 February 1950 in Chitradurga, passed away recently after a career that spanned over five decades. After graduating from the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, she trained children with speech and hearing impairments for nearly thirty years before taking voluntary retirement in 1996. She entered theatre under the mentorship of Dr. Na. Ratna, performed with the Mysuru‑based Samathento troupe, and debuted in film with B.V. Karanth’s “Vamsha Vriksha” in 1972. At 75, she staged her first solo play, “Neermaadala Hoovinondige”, and earned Best Actress awards for the short film “Kadalass Pookkal” at both Mysore and Kerala film festivals.

Nair’s contributions bridged speech‑therapy and performing arts, making her a unique figure in Karnataka’s cultural landscape. Her work with theatre groups and her filmography, which includes titles such as “Ranganayaki”, “Airavata”, “Pepe” and the Malayalam film “Kurup”, inspired younger artists to pursue creativity irrespective of age. Organisers highlighted that her discipline and dedication serve as a lasting example for future generations of performers and educators alike.