Guwahati: Renowned Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal has been chosen as the new Chairman of the National School of Drama by India's President Ram Nath Kovind.
Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, sharing the news on Twitter, congratulated Rawal on the feat and said artists and students of the country will benefit from his talent.
Rawal, in a career spanning three years, has been acknowledged with numerous awards. He was even honored with the prestigious National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1994.
Rawal was also conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri, the fourth-highest honour in India, in 2014 for his contribution to the entertainment industry.
He was a member of parliament in the Lok Sabha of the Indian Parliament representing the Ahmedabad East constituency from 2014 to 2019. Rawal is politically affiliated with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit also congratulated the actor. "Heartiest Congratulations & all the very best to my dear friend @SirPareshRawal a theatre, for being appointed as the Chief of @nsd_india. Your immense knowledge in the field of theatre, television & cinema will really be an asset to the institution (sic)," he wrote in a tweet.
The National School of Drama, the only one of its kind in India, was set up by the Sangeet Natak Akademi as one of its constituent units in 1959. In 1975, it became an independent entity and was registered as an autonomous organization.