Bhubaneswar: In a proud moment for Odisha’s theatre scene, 25-year-old Sonia Behera from Belpahar in Jharsuguda district has become the first woman from the state to secure admission to the three-year Diploma in Dramatics (2026–2029) at the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi.
Behera earned the eighth rank in the All-India merit list with an impressive 80.05 percentile after excelling in NSD’s highly competitive multi-stage selection process. This included preliminary screening, theatre workshops, practical exercises, and personal interviews held at the NSD campus from June 14 to 19.
Reflecting on her journey, Sonia said that the feat still feels surreal. “I feel very proud. When I started doing theatre, I had never imagined th
at I would one day make it to NSD. It still feels unreal,” she was quoted as saying. She expressed hope that her success would inspire aspiring artistes, especially from smaller towns and rural areas, to pursue opportunities at national-level institutions with dedication and commitment.
Sonia’s passion for theatre was ignited in 2015 when, as a school student, she watched the play Lal Paen performed by the Mirror Theatre Group during a school programme in Jharsuguda. Though not yet part of the troupe, the performance left a deep impression, prompting her to join the group later that year. As the eldest of five siblings, she persisted despite the uncertainties of a career in the arts.
Over the past 11 years, Sonia has become a key performer with the Mirror Theatre Group, featuring in numerous acclaimed productions such as Lal Paen, ULPI, April-27, Badakha Dada, Pachen, Ramadevi, Tor Jhumka, Tor Kiriya, Bhokara Aneka Ranga, and Panata Kani. She played the lead in Kaenjuri, which set a record with a continuous 49-hour, 48-minute, and 12-second performance. Her roles in ULPI and Lal Paen, staged across Odisha and other parts of the country, have also earned her national recognition.
She credits her mother for unwavering support in pursuing theatre and acknowledges the pivotal guidance of Mirror Theatre founder-director Dr Subash Chandra Pradhan and senior colleagues.