The UNESCO has presented India’s Girish Karnad with the ambassadorship of its International Theatre Institute. Karnad, who is now nearing 70, is counted amongst the veterans of Indian TV, theatre and cinema. A number of plays composed by Girish Karnad have received international awards and positive review of critics.    

Many, in the past 40 years, have been even translated into several foreign languages. At the national level too, the contribution of Karnad had been recognized. He was awarded the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademy award in 1972, Padmashri in 1974 and Padma Bhushan in 1992 and Jnanpith Award in 1998. Girish Karnad has also acted in many Tamil films, one of which is the commercially successful Kadhalan.

The Paris-based International Theater Institute has honoured about a dozen other famous figures such as British theatre and film director Peter Brook, Italian playwright Dario Fo, French theatrical legend Ariane Mnouchkine and German choreographer Pina Bausch.