Despite the efforts of artists in Rajasthan to preserve art and culture, the identity of these cultural representatives remains unclear. The Department of Art and Culture has shown laxity in recent years, and the situation at Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur is also somewhat deteriorating.
Earlier too, there had been major problems regarding the regular payment of artists. After the request of the artists and writing a letter to the former Art Minister Beedi Kalla and the head of the department, the session secretary, the scheduled payment was made to the artists within a gap of five to six months.
However, the problems of the artists persist. Applications for the Young Theater Director Scheme were invited from across the state. Young artists submitted applications 11 months ago in February 2023. The department has still not taken any action on these applications. Applicants were assured that the results were not being declared due to the formation of a new government.
Artists have not received incentive amounts under this scheme in the last four years. Under the scheme, a grant of Rs 1 lakh each was to be given to three artists. Due to this, last year a committee was formed and interviews of 30 applicants were conducted and the result was not released.
JKK did not give grants to any young artists in the years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Earlier the department had not given a grant (incentive amount) due to the Corona period. Since then, it has been many years since the department has not given grants.
The Young Woman Director Scheme was started at Jawahar Kala Kendra in the year 2017 by the then Director General Pooja Sood. Under this, three women directors from across the country were selected and given a grant of Rs 1 lakh each. The names of Mumal Tanwar, Waghvi Raghav and Ambika Kamal were included in this.
After this, at the request of other young artists, the administration changed this scheme to the Young Theater Director Scheme. After this, in 2018, three artists from the state were selected, Sahil Ahuja, Yogendra Singh Parmar and Chitrarth Mishra were given grants. After this, in 2019, the plays of Abhishek Mudgal, Preeti Dubey and Sanket Jain were selected for the grant. Six of these plays were staged at a festival in Goa. But after these two years, the whole matter faded away.
The JKK administration started this grant to prepare new young artists under the guidance of NSD (National School of Drama) and renowned experts of the country. Under this, every year these young directors used to prepare their plays under the guidance of experts and stage them in JKK. According to senior theatre workers of Rajasthan, if this grant had been given continuously till now, more than 21 young artists would have directly benefited from it.
The minimum age of the applicant should be 18 years and the maximum age should be 35 years. The applicant should have at least three years of theatre direction experience. The proposed play should not have been done before by the director.
Additional Director General Priyanka Jodhawat, “Preparations are being made at the departmental level regarding the Young Theater Director Scheme. This scheme will again be mainly worked upon. Soon the names of the three selected youth directors will be sent to the Principal Secretary of the Tourism and Art and Culture Department. Grant has not been given under this scheme for the last four years. But soon the department will take a decision on this and announce it. I am also worried about this decision in JKK. Now the government and the cabinet have been formed. Therefore now there will be no obstruction of any kind.”