it also invites outstanding theatre personalities from mainland India to stage their plays in the state for the benefit of the theatre lovers here. Due to this initiative some famous theatre personalities like Nadira Babbar, Makrand Deshpande, Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak staged their dramas in Guwahati in 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively.  Keeping the trend of the previous years’ performances afresh in people’s mind, this year the Committee has invited SAHAJ Group of Mumbai headed by Mr. Rajendra Gupta. The group will perform two acclaimed plays in Guwahati. This year, another outstanding attraction is going to be actor Neena Gupta’s performance in these plays. Among local directors whose plays will be staged during the festival are many famed names such as Moloya Goswami, Swapnanil Baruah, Sakunti Bordoloi, Abdul Mazid, Simanta Phukan, Pranjal Saikia, Anup Hazarika, Uzzala Barman and Giyas Uddin Ahmed.

Considering the positive impact of this festival on the creative arts scenario of the state, Airtel is extending its support to this seven day drama festival.

Mr Sudipto Chowdhury, COO, Bharti Airtel Limited NESA, stated, “Side by side with providing the best telecom services to our customers, we in Airtel are committed to contribute our resources for all round development of the society. With this objective in view, we have been promoting arts, culture, literature, environment awareness and sports in the region. We have been associated with the theatre movement in Assam for quite some time and this time, our association with the Natasurya Drama Festival will surely help the theatre movement of the state and delight the theatre lovers who will be able to witness some of the best performances of our times.”

Mr Giyas Uddin Ahmed, General Secretary, Natasurya Memorial Celebration Committee said,”Theatre is a very popular art form and pastime of the people of Assam but shortage of funds is standing in the way for furthering the cause of theatre. Airtel has come forward to support our efforts which have injected a new lease of life to the movement. I hope that Airtel’s example is emulated by other corporate houses operating in the region.”

Airtel is constantly engaging in activities of Corporate Social Responsibility across the Northeastern region. The Company is promoting Music, Environment Awareness, Blood Donation, Sports, Scholarships, Art, Literature, Drama and Theatre. Airtel is always in the forefront while promoting indigenous art forms and local skills. During its little over three years of operation in North East, Airtel has tied up with some famous mobile theatre groups of Assam, sponsored a number of plays.
Bharti Airtel with a view to pumping in more blood into the mobile theatre industry  had tied up with Kahinoor Theatre to support their performances across the state of Assam. Similar support was extended to many other theatre groups also. Airtel in association with Stage Fusion an amateur theatre group of Assam supported staging of the musical comedy Double Trouble in Guwahati, Balipara and Shillong in 2008. The proceeds of the play (Rs. 10,000) were given to a care and rehabilitation centre for the young children at risk named Snehalaya situated in Guwahati.
During September 2007, Airtel sponsored Thirty Days in September, a drama written by Mahesh Dattani, the Sahitya Academi Award winner playwright. During April 2008, Bharti Airtel extended its support to Agnivrishti, produced by well known Assamese actor Zerifa Wahid under her own outfit, Zerifa Wahid Production.
More recently, Bharti Airtel joined hands with Ban Theatre of Tezpur and extended its support to the yearlong Birth Centenary Celebration of Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha.