About META
Celebrating excellence in theatre and stage craft, the Mahindra Group proudly presents the eighth edition of the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) to be held in March 2013. Recognizing and rewarding all aspects of theatre production and stage craft, META is one of the Indian theatre industry’s premier awards. META provides a concrete platform to celebrate and promote theatre’s varied elements like playwriting, set design, costume and light design, direction and performance. Instituted by the Mahindra Group, in continuation of their commitment to promoting the arts, META 2013 aims at bringing together the best of Indian theatre from the year gone by. The awards consists of a specially designed trophy and a cheque of Rs.100,000 for the Best Production, Rs.75,000 for Best Original Playwright and Rs.45,000 for all other award categories.
Encouraging all forms of theatre across its full spectrum, The Mahindra Group, through META, aims to increase awareness and appreciation of Indian theatre, making it the only national platform for recognizing and rewarding theatre
Entries for META 2013 may be verbal or non verbal theatre productions, including physical theatre, puppetry, multi-media and dance. The submissions must be sent on recorded DVD or VHS in their original language by any theatre production across the country. META also offers funding to theatre companies unable to afford the cost of producing a DVD or VHS. The entries for META 2013 close on the 10th of January 2013. Detailed eligibility criteria are available on the website www.metawards.com.
All productions that meet the eligibility criteria are viewed by an esteemed selection committee appointed by the Secretariat and comprise five eminent personalities from the world of theatre, one each from the following cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata. The shortlisted plays are nominated across award categories and are posted on the META website in the first week of February. META’s Creative Director is Mr. Ravi Dubey, and the organizers are Teamwork Productions.
The selection committee further picks the 10 best productions over a period of one week of intensive screenings and viewings at the end of January 2013. The ten chosen productions are then informed about the selection and invited to perform live in Delhi in front of a grand celebrity jury and the public. The plays will be staged at LTG and Kamani Auditorium from March 3, 2013 to March 8, 2013. The awards night will be held on March 9, 2013 at the Taj Mahal Hotel, No 1, Man Singh Road, New Delhi and will be hosted by Mr. Shriprakash Shukla, President, Group Strategy Office and Member of the Group Executive Board, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
The Mahindra Group
Mahindra embarked on its journey in 1945 by assembling the Willys Jeep in India and is now a US $6.3 billion Indian multinational. It employs over 1,00,000 people across the globe and enjoys a leadership position in utility vehicles, tractors and information technology, with a significant and growing presence in financial services, tourism, infrastructure development, trade and logistics. The Mahindra Group today is an embodiment of global excellence and enjoys a strong corporate brand image. Mahindra is the only Indian company among the top tractor brands in the world and has made an entry in the two-wheeler segment, which will see the company emerge as a full-range player with a presence in almost every segment of the automobile industry. The Mahindra Group recently expanded its IT portfolio when Tech Mahindra acquired the leading global business and information technology services company, Satyam Computer Services. The company is now known as Mahindra Satyam. Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector is the proud recipient of the Japan Quality Medal, the only tractor company worldwide to be bestowed this honour. It also holds the distinction of being the only tractor company worldwide to win the Deming Prize. The US based Reputation Institute recently ranked Mahindra among the top 10 Indian companies in its Global 200: The World’s Best Corporate Reputations list. Mahindra is also one of the few Indian companies to receive an A+ GRI checked rating for its first Sustainability Report for the year 2007-08.
A Note from Mr.Anand Mahindra
Theatre and business would seem at first glance to be strange bedfellows. I firmly believe however that a contribution to the Arts is also a contribution to the triple bottom line. Theatre is an art form that holds up a mirror to society and a powerful medium for social change. It shows us a new way to see our world, and develops and nurtures other performing arts like music and dance within its fold. It is a field that is often neglected, especially when compared to film, which is the more glamorous sibling, and deserves wider corporate support. With The Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards we are in a way, setting the stage for this, by showcasing modern theatre and recognizing excellence in this field. There is another link between theatre and business. Whether we are on Broadway or in business, it is ultimately innovation and creativity that will help us leave a mark on the Globe. Theatre is a powerful vehicle for nurturing and enhancing these qualities that are as important in the real world of business as in the make-believe world of theatre. These Awards continue and intensify Mahindras’ association with theatre, which started some years ago in the form of support for regional theatre in Mumbai, followed by the inter-collegiate Theatre Festival in Delhi to support emerging theatre. We hope one day in the not too distant future, to take another step forward by establishing the Mahindra Academy for Excellence in Theatre.
