New Delhi, Feb 25 (IANS): One of Indias most progressive playwrights, Mahesh Elkunchwar, will be conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award at the prestigious Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) this year, the organisers said at a press conference here on Monday.

Elkunchwar is critically acclaimed and widely known for having experimented with a wide range of drama and has been a powerful force in both Indian and Marathi theatre for over three decades.

The jury for the 14th edition of META was also announced and comprises theatre actor and screenwriter Akash Khurana; founder of India Foundation for the Arts Anmol Vellani; popular Indian actress Ila Arun; actor Kulbhushan Kharbanda; and Director of the India Habitat Centre Sunit Tandon, among others.

The announcements came ahead of the week-long staging of the 10 shortlisted plays to be held from March 6 to 12 at Kamani Auditorium and Shri Ram Centre here.

Promoted by the Mahindra Group as part of its cultural outreach, META is curated by Teamwork Arts.

Over 400 entries were received in this edition of META, which were viewed by an eminent Selection Committee, comprising well-known theatre practitioners, the organisers said.

This year's final nominations feature plays in Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, along with Hindi and English language scripts.

Awards in 14 categories, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as 13 competitive categories such as Best Play, Best Director, Best Stage Design, Best Light Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Script, will be awarded this year.