{{Short description|Hindi and Punjabi playwright}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}

thumb|Balraj Pandit in 1975 '''Balraj Pandit''' (d. October 13, 2006) was a well-known Hindi and Punjabi playwright besides being a theatre director, poet, painter and a popular teacher. His ''Paanchwan Sawaar'' (पांचवा सवार) is considered a classic and a significant play of Indian dramaturgy. The play has been staged many times by different theatre troupes with actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri and Manohar Singh among other playing roles.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20061214/cth2.htm | title = 'Panchwan Sawar' staged | work = The Tribune | date = 2006-12-13 }}</ref> ''Lok Udaasi'' (ਲੋਕ ਉਦਾਸੀ) in Punjabi was another of his well-known plays besides ''Biwiyon Ka Madrasa''<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.dailypioneer.com/2018/state-editions/beewiyon-ka-madarsa--a-comedy-play-staged.html |title=Beewiyon Ka Madarsa: A comedy play staged |date=8 September 2018}}</ref> an adaptation of Molière's ''L'École des Femmes'' (''The School for Wives'').<ref>{{cite news | url = http://journojp.blogspot.in/2006/10/balraj-pandit-no-more.html | title = Balraj Pandit No More | author = Jatinder Preet | publisher = Slow Life | date = 2006-10-13 }}</ref>

Panditji, as he was fondly called, graduated from National School of Drama, New Delhi in 1969. He studied theatre under such stalwarts as Ebrahim Alkazi<ref>{{cite news | url = http://nsd.gov.in/alumni2.asp?id=1969 | title = Alumni | publisher = National School of Drama | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131201063711/http://nsd.gov.in/alumni2.asp?id=1969 | archive-date = 2013-12-01 }}</ref> and then after a short stint of teaching in NSD he joined Theatre and Television Department at Punjabi University in Patiala. He taught generations of students there till his retirement.

He lived at Patiala in Punjab until he died on 13 October 2006.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20061020/ttlife1.htm | title = Fond memories mark Balraj Pandit's exit| author = Anuradha Shukla | work = The Tribune | date = 2006-10-20}}</ref> thumb|250 px|Balraj Pandit ==Plays==

* ''Paanchwan Sawaar''<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/03/18/stories/2005031802080300.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050522000149/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/03/18/stories/2005031802080300.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2005-05-22 | title = Life in Question | author = Diwan Singh Bajeli| work = The Hindu | date = 2005-03-18 }}</ref> -The play talks about how a middle-class young man turns into the neglected ‘Paanchwan Sawaar’ hopeful of rising and making it big in life. The play was originally written and directed by the famous playwright Balraj Pandit. * ''Biwiyon Ka Madarsa'', adaptation of Molière's ''The School for Wives''<ref>http://www.natarang.org/catalogue-search.php?keywords=k&dd=0&cat=Brochure&index=200 Natrang Pratishtan</ref> - A Hindi version of Molière's 17th century classical farce 'The School for Wives' by Balraj Pandit. * ''Lok Udaasi''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/architect-of-countrys-first-state-repertory-company-dies/articleshow/46776692.cms|title = Architect of country's first state repertory company dies &#124; Chandigarh News - Times of India|website = The Times of India}}</ref> - The play is one of the most historic Punjabi productions written and directed by Balraj Pandit. * Adaptation of Premchand's story ''Kaffan'' <ref>{{ cite news | url = https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/letters/story/20111031-dramatics-of-speech-theatre-749382-2011-10-22 | title = Dramatics of Speech | author = Kavita Nagpal | publisher = India Today| date = 2011-10-22 }}</ref> * Adaptation in Hindi of Evam Indrajit, a play about the mediocre class. The play subtly points towards Satrean Existentialism and denotes that life is a circle with no ending, it ends where it begins, it is an endless road. * Translation of Uma Anand's ''Aao Naatak Khelen'' by Balraj Pandit <ref>http://59.177.81.15:8000/cgi-bin/gw/chameleon?sessionid=2012011217062524887&skin=nccl&lng=en&inst=consortium&conf=.%2fchameleon.conf&host=localhost%2b1111%2bDEFAULT&patronhost=localhost%201111%20DEFAULT&sourcescreen=INITREQ&scant1=Ao%20natak%20khale%20%2f%20Uma%20Anand%3b%20illustrated%20by%20Miki%20Patel%3b%20translated%20by%20Balraj%20Pandit.&scanu1=4&elementcount=1&t1=Ao%20natak%20khale%20%2f%20Uma%20Anand%3b%20illustrated%20by%20Miki%20Patel%3b%20translated%20by%20Balraj%20Pandit.&u1=4&pos=1&itempos=1&rootsearch=FREEFORM&function=INITREQ&search=AUTHID&authid=37503&authidu=4 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042015/http://59.177.81.15:8000/cgi-bin/gw/chameleon?sessionid=2012011217062524887&skin=nccl&lng=en&inst=consortium&conf=.%2Fchameleon.conf&host=localhost%2B1111%2BDEFAULT&patronhost=localhost%201111%20DEFAULT&sourcescreen=INITREQ&scant1=Ao%20natak%20khale%20%2F%20Uma%20Anand%3B%20illustrated%20by%20Miki%20Patel%3B%20translated%20by%20Balraj%20Pandit.&scanu1=4&elementcount=1&t1=Ao%20natak%20khale%20%2F%20Uma%20Anand%3B%20illustrated%20by%20Miki%20Patel%3B%20translated%20by%20Balraj%20Pandit.&u1=4&pos=1&itempos=1&rootsearch=FREEFORM&function=INITREQ&search=AUTHID&authid=37503&authidu=4 |date=4 March 2016 }} National Book Trust</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pandit, Balraj}} Category:Indian male dramatists and playwrights Category:2006 deaths Category:Punjabi-language writers Category:Hindi dramatists and playwrights Category:National School of Drama alumni Category:Year of birth missing Category:Academic staff of Punjabi University Category:Indian theatre directors