The first Theatre Festival successfully concluded on August 12 at Lotsawa Auditorium. Students from various schools participated in the 12-day event that commenced on August 1.

Secretary Tourism & Culture, Kacho Mehboob Ali was the chief guest. He expressed happiness for being a part of the theatre and meeting famous theatre artists and young talented students of Ladakh.  He highlighted the importance of parents and teachers in implementing the Theatre in Education (TiE) system. 

Chief Education Officer, Leh, SD Namgyal expressed gratitude to the Ladakh Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages for supporting the Education Department in organising the Children Theatre Festival for the first time in Ladakh. He thanked the 11 participating schools, teachers, mentors, theatre professionals, and the children for making the Children Theatre Festival successful.

Sonam Stobgais, NSD theatre artist thanked LAACL and Education Department for taking this initiative and requested the Secretary of Tourism and Culture establish a proper Auditorium in Ladakh.

Mipham Otsal, Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee called theatre a complete subject and stressed the need to include it in the education system in Ladakh.

Padma Shree awardee Murup Namgyal congratulated the students who participated in the Children Theatre Festival and performed skits on various issues prevalent in society such as drug abuse, misuse of money, pros and cons of mobile and internet, etc.

Meanwhile, certificates and prizes were distributed among the winners and participants during the concluding ceremony.  Melaras-pe-Namthar performed by students by Druk Padma Karpo School won the first prize of Rs 10,000/. Similarly,  Teng-Sang-Naslugs by Govt. Higher Secondary School, Housing Colony claimed the second prize of Rs 8000/ whereas Tus-ki- Gurja by Boys Hr. Secondary School, Leh won the third prize of Rs. 5000/.

A short skit on the importance of theatre was performed by theatre professionals- Deachen Barzi, Deachen Jigsten, Yangchan Sukhman, and Tsering Yangchan under the guidance and support of Sonam Stobgais during the event.