Singapore Theatre Group Wins Top Hindi Play Prize

Singapore-based Ugna Natya Mandali has won first prize in the Asia and Australia region at the International Hindi Play Competition 2026 organised by the World Hindi Secretariat.

The competition, held to mark World Theatre Day on March 27, invited participants aged 16 to 25 to perform short Hindi plays on the theme “Hindi Language in the New Era”. Entries were received from Africa and the Middle East, America, Asia, Australia, Europe, and India.

The results, announced by e-mail on April 10, placed Ugna Natya Mandali Singapore at the top of the Asia and Australia category for its five-minute Hindi play exploring the concerns and emotional world of young Hindi learners today.

Set in the age of artificial intelligence, the play reflects on how technology has made communication easier while also raising questions about the future of Hindi and the Devanagari script. It also highlights the role of family and environment in shaping a young person’s relationship with language.

The script, direction, cinematography and editing were handled by Mrs Aradhana Jha Shrivastava, founder-president of Ugna Natya Mandali Singapore. The central roles were performed by young artistes Wagisha Vani and Riddhima Mishra.

Wagisha, 17, is a Grade 11 student at Raffles Institution and a Singapore permanent resident. Trained in bharatanatyam for eight years, she has participated in debates, public speaking, dance competitions, and hosted major cultural events organised by the Hindi Society Singapore and the High Commission of India.

Riddhima, 19, is a Singapore citizen studying bioengineering at Nanyang Technological University. A diploma holder in kathak, she is passionate about public speaking, hosting and stage performance, and has won awards in Hindi storytelling and other competitions.

Founded in 2022, Ugna Natya Mandali Singapore is named after Ugna Mahadev, linked to the spiritual bond between Maithili poet Vidyapati and Lord Shiva in Mithila’s cultural tradition.

The group has staged original plays on Vidyapati and Ugna Mahadev in Maithili and Hindi. In February 2025, its short theatrical presentation based on the Pancham Veda concept won appreciation at the National School of Drama’s International Theatre Festival.

The troupe was also invited to a World Hindi Secretariat theatre workshop in Mauritius in September 2025, where its Bhagavad Gita-based presentation received a warm response.

Beyond performances, the group has steadily built a reputation for encouraging younger members of the Indian diaspora in Singapore to engage with Hindi, Maithili and Indian cultural traditions through theatre and storytelling.

Its productions often combine mythology, literature and contemporary themes, making them accessible to younger audiences growing up outside India.

Members of the troupe said the latest recognition was especially meaningful because it came on an international platform focused on the future of the Hindi language in a rapidly changing digital era.

The award is expected to further encourage Singapore-based youth interested in theatre, language, and cultural arts.