Theatre personality Manoj Mitra resigns from WB Natya Akademy

Veteran theatre personality Manoj Mitra has resigned from the post of president of the Paschim Banga Natya Akademi citing health reasons. The Akademi, a wing of the department of information and cultural affairs of the government of West Bengal, promotes theatre activities in the state.

"I have sent my resignation letter to the information and cultural affairs department on Friday, expressing my inability to continue as president due to health reasons," 80-year-old Mitra told PTI. The department is tight-lipped about whether or not his resignation will be accepted.

Mitra who has for several years been at the helm of the Akademy had offered to resign in 2015 also but was persuaded then by the government to continue. "This time my decision is final," he said.

Mitra had been retained as the president of a committee that runs the Akademy's affairs in a reshuffle earlier this month. Several prominent theatre personalities such as Usha Ganguly and Harimadhab Mukhopadhyay, who had been in the panel earlier were missing in the reconstituted 44-member body.

On this, Mitra said, "The names of some of my friends and colleagues have been dropped and that has saddened me." The name of West Bengal minister and theatre personality Bratya Basu figures in the new list..