The Iron Man is a historical theatrical presentation based on the life, struggles, and extraordinary contributions of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to the making of the Indian nation.The play opens with the spirit of an aged Patel expressing his unwavering love for his motherland — reaffirming his belief that India’s true strength lies in its unity and integrity.

The story begins with a group of children visiting the Statue of Unity at Kevadiya, where a professor narrates to them the inspiring journey of Sardar Patel’s life — a journey that spans from the freedom struggle to the unification of India.The play vividly portrays key episodes from Patel’s life — his childhood, his journey to becoming a lawyer, his stay in England, his meeting with Mahatma Gandhi, and his active participation in the Indian freedom movement. Scene after scene on stage brings alive pivotal moments such as the Kheda Satyagraha, Bardoli movement, Non-Cooperation movement, Dandi March, Jallianwala Bagh, Chauri Chaura, the Partition of India, and the integration of princely states, highlighting Patel’s determination, foresight, leadership, and the power of unity. The play also presents the emotional depth of his relationship with Mahatma Gandhi, his ideological differences with Jawaharlal Nehru, and his decisive role in laying the administrative foundations of independent India.

“The Iron Man” is not merely a historical drama — it is a living symbol of India’s spirit of resilience, truth, and unity. It inspires audiences to realize that the true strength of India lies in its resolve and oneness.

Playwright

Asif ali

A playwright, actor and director of great repute, Asif Ali obtained a PG diploma with specialization in acting from National School of Drama. Later, he worked with National School of Drama Repertory Company as an Actor for many years. A trusted name for translation and adaption, he has collaborated as a writer with many eminent theatre personalities such as Mohan Maharishi, Ram Gopal Bajaj, AnuradhaKapur, Robin Das and Roysten Abel. He received the SangeetNatak Academy’s UstadBismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for playwriting in the year 2006. Among many of the original plays he has written Kafka EkAdhyay, 59 Minutes 60 Second, GulabBai, Rang Abhang, VikhanditChhaya, Cansurvive-SubahkaPata,KarnaGatha, TukdaShahar, BheemGatha, Bhabharatam are important. Many plays

written by him have been staged in NSD Repertory delhi and Sikkim. He has been visiting faculty to several institutions such as FTII, NSD Sikkim Centre and M.P. NatyaVidyalaya, Bhopal among others. He has also been awarded the 2016 Manohar Singh Memorial and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for the year 2023 for his contribution to the field of theatre as a playwright. Presently he teaches Modern Indian Drama at National School of Drama, New Delhi.

Dr. Rizwan Kadri

Researcher

Dr. Rizwan Kadri is a young historian, known for his research on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. In his Gujarati and Hindi book ‘Sardar Patel: Ek Sinhpurush.’ He has discovered unknown facts about the Sardar Patel and also about Mahatma Gandhi and Lokmanya Tilak. The rare information on the multifarious contribution of Sardar Patel is based on rare archival sources. Dr. Kadri currently working as a Professor in Shree Swaminarayan Arts College, Ahmedabad. He was also appointed as Ph.D. (History) guide in Gujarat University. During his bright academic career, Rizwan has won many awards such as the ‘Gujarat University Gold Medal’, ‘Sanskar Award’, Jawaharlal Memorial Fund, New Delhi, Meritorious Prize & ‘Sardar Patel Vishva Pratibha Award.’ An eminent historian is also known for his inspiring public lectures and his lectures particularly on the Indian Freedom Struggle and Sardar Patel have made him very popular among scholars as well as common people.

Recently, Dr. Kadri has been re-appointed as a member of the ‘Prime Minister’s Museum and Library Society’, New Delhi by the Government of India.

Chittaranjan Tripathy

Director

Chittaranjan Tripathy is a multi-talented and multifaceted artist, currently serving as the Director of the National School of Drama (NSD). An NSD graduate, he completed his Master’s degree in Sociology from Hyderabad University before joining the National School of Drama. He received his initial music training from his father, a pala gayak, and later refined his skills under Guru Shri Bhaskar Chandra Das. He pursued musical theatre at the Guildford School of Acting, UK, under the prestigious Charles Wallace Fellowship. During his brief tenure as an artist in the NSD Repertory Company, he directed the musical satire *Taj Mahal Ka Tender in 1998*, which has been running to *full houses for over 27 years. He has served as a visiting faculty member at several institutions, including NSD, and has vast experience in theatre direction, acting, music composition, and playwriting, contributing to more than 50 plays and composing over 650 songs for various platforms.

Some of his noted theatre productions include Taj Mahal Ka Tender, Samudra Manthan, Raat Baki, Shor

Wala Natak, Chor Machaye Shor, Ladi Nazariya, Bhagavadajjukam, Yahudi Ki Ladki, Holi, Arey Mayavi

Sarovar, Andhera Kamra, and Arey Sharif Log. He has directed people from diverse walks of life, including parliamentarians, High Court judges, corporate executives, senior citizens, school teachers, and children from slum areas. He has conducted masterclasses across India and abroad, including Colombo, Kathmandu, Moscow, and Beijing. In the field of film and television, he has directed five feature films (three in Odia and two in Hindi) and over 1,000 episodes of daily soaps, including work for Star One and as the initial director of *Savdhaan India. As an actor, he has appeared in more than 42 films, including Mukhyamantri, Delhi 6, Phantom, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Mukkabaaz, and Jagga Jasoos.

He has also acted in around 10 web series, including Sacred Games, Hostages, Farzi, Raktanchal etc. His

debut film *Dhali Express earned him the State Awards for Best Film, Best Music Director, and Best

Playback Singer from the Government of Odisha. He also received the Best Supporting Actor Award from

the Odisha government for the film Love You Jessica, and the Best Supporting Actor Award at the Chilly

International Film Festival for the short film Biscut. Alongside his current responsibilities as Director of

NSD, he continues to write plays such as Gunno Bai, Raat Baki, Shor Wala Natak, and many others.

Currently he is serving as Dircetor, National school of Drama.