Students on the AIIS academic year Sanskrit program in Pune Carol Rodriguez-Gutierrez (University of Florida) and Shuheng Zhang (University of Pennsylvania) performed a play entirely in Sanskrit language at the R.N. Dandekar Sanskrit Drama Competition at Fergusson College in Pune on March 28, 2023.
Shuheng Zhang and Carol Rodriguez-Gutierrez on stage
Sa Sumaramani—meaning “That Flower Girl” is a 35-minute one-act play based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. The play, which is completely in Sanskrit, was written by AIIS Sanskrit program head Dr. Madhura Godbole; the two students had to memorize all their dialogue in Sanskrit.
AIIS Sanskrit students and teachers
Dr. Madhura Godbole said “After the performance, our students became celebrities. We won four prizes! Best Acting for Shuheng Zhang, Special mention Prize for Acting – Carol Rodriguez-Gutierrez, Second prize in Direction, and Third prize for the whole Team! The judges mentioned us especially and talked about our students’ free presence on the stage, their pronunciation, and role bearing!”
First Prize!