SRINAGAR: Folk theatre artist Ravice Rashid, known by his stage name Rayees Wathori, has been chosen for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2025, a leading national award for young performing artists in India.
Instituted by the Sangeet Natak Akademi under the Ministry of Culture, the award recognises outstanding contributions by artists below the age of 40 across disciplines such as music, dance and theatre. It includes a cash award of Rs 25,000 along with a citation.
Wathori has been honoured in the folk theatre category for his continued work in preserving and promoting traditional Kashmiri performance arts. He has been actively involved in stage productions and cultural programmes aimed at introducing indigenous theatre forms to younger generations.
The recognition has been welcomed by members of the artistic community in Jammu and Kashmir, who view it as an important acknowledgement of the region’s folk theatre heritage as well as the efforts of emerging practitioners.
The award will be formally presented at a later date during an official ceremony organised by the Akademi.
Hailing from Wathoora village in Budgam district, Ravice Rashid is a well-known folk theatre performer and cultural activist, recognised for his efforts to revive and modernise Bhand Pather, Kashmir’s traditional folk theatre form.
