Theatre Knowledge Systems
A research project funded by the Indian Knowledge System under the Ministry of Education, documenting and archiving India's living theatre traditions with digital and AI-assisted tools.
Funded by
Indian Knowledge System
Ministry of Education, Government of India
KKN Foundation
Research & Documentation Arm
Scope of Research
What we're documenting
Classical Traditions
Kathakali, Kutiyattam, Yakshagana, Bhavai — their rasa theory, mudras, and staging conventions.
Folk & Street Forms
Therukoothu, Jatra, Nautanki, Powada, Tamasha — the living pulse of Indian street theatre.
Modern Adaptations
Post-independence experiments, IPTA movement, contemporary directors remixing heritage.
Playwrights & Texts
Manuscripts, unpublished plays, and the oral traditions of regional theatre writing.
Stagecraft & Costume
Set design, makeup, mask-making, costume construction — the artisan's archive.
Music & Movement
Traditional instruments, footwork, body training, and the music-theatre continuum.
Methodology
Digital tools meet oral tradition
We combine fieldwork with cutting-edge technology — recording masters on stage, transcribing in endangered languages, and training AI models on gesture vocabularies that have never been digitised before.
1,200+
Hours of footage
47
Master artistes
12
Languages
3
AI models trained
We're Hiring
Research Associate Recruitment
Applications open for Research Associates to join the Theatre Knowledge Systems project. Read the official notification and apply via the Google form.
Read Recruitment Notification
Official PDF — eligibility, role description, duration, and stipend details.
Download PDF →Apply via Google Form
Submit your application, CV, and statement of interest through our form.
Open Form →Eligibility Highlights
- ✦ Postgraduate in Theatre / Performance Studies / Cultural Studies
- ✦ Fieldwork experience with traditional artistes preferred
- ✦ Reading knowledge of at least one Indian regional language
- ✦ Comfort with audio/video documentation and digital tools
- ✦ Age & stipend: as per IKS-MHRD norms
- ✦ Location: Kerala, with field travel across India