
He served as director of the Film and Television Institute of India (1974–1975) and chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of the Performing Arts (1988–93). Most recently, he served as director of the Nehru Centre and as Minister of Culture, in the Indian High Commission, London (2000–2003).

During his tenure at Chicago Nagamandala had its world premiere at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis based on Karnad's English translation of the Kannada original. While in Madras (now known as Chennai) he got involved with local amateur theatre group, The Madras Players.ĭuring 1987–88, he was at the University of Chicago as visiting professor and Fulbright playwright-in-residence. CareerĪfter working with the Oxford University Press, Chennai for seven years (1963–70), he resigned to take to writing full-time. Karnad was elected President of the Oxford Union in 1963. Upon graduation Karnad went to England and studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Magdalen in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar (1960–63), earning his Master of Arts degree in philosophy, political science and economics. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and statistics from Karnatak Arts College, Dharwad (Karnataka University), in 1958. His family moved to Dharwad in Karnataka when he was 14 years old, where he grew up with his two sisters and niece. As a youngster, Karnad was an ardent admirer of Yakshagana and the theater in his village. In Sirsi, Karnataka, he was exposed to travelling theatre groups, Natak Mandalis as his parents were deeply interested in their plays. Rao Saheb and Krishna Bai married according to Arya Samaj tradition.

Krishna Bai was a widow and was serving as a homemaker for Rao Saheb and his bedridden wife for about five years. Girish Karnad was born in Matheran, Maharashtra in a Saraswat Brahmin (SB) Konkani family, to Rao Saheb Dr Karnad and Krishna Bai Mankeekara.
