2018 JAMES TAIT BLACK PRIZE FOR DRAMA
Tanika Gupta won the prestigious James Tait Black Prize for Drama 2018. The £10,000 play writing prize is presented annually by the University of Edinburgh for the best original play written in English, Scots or Gaelic and first performed by a professional company in the previous year. Gupta won for her play Lions and Tigers, performed last year at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London, which tells the true story of her great uncle and freedom fighter Dinesh Gupta.
The awards ceremony took place at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh on August 20, hosted by television and radio presenter Shereen Nanjiani.
“The talent and creativity shown by this year’s shortlist was astounding. Tanika Gupta’s epic drama pushes the boundaries of verbatim theatre, telling an important story in a fresh and authentic way never seen on stage before.”– Chair of the judging panel, Greg Walker, Regius professor of rhetoric and English literature at the University of Edinburgh
2018 – RECEIVED AN HONORARY FELLOWSHIP FROM ROYAL CENTRAL SCHOOL OF SPEECH AND DRAMA
2017 – RECEIVED AN HONORARY DOCTORATE IN THE ARTS FROM CHICHESTER UNIVERSITY
2017 ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS – ACHIEVEMENT IN MEDIA
Tanika Gupta won an Asian Achievers Award in 2017; it was recognition of the valuable contribution of her writing to the Asian community.
“There are many talented Asian women who do not get the recognition they so richly deserve…”
2016 FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE
Tanika Gupta was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2016
2013 BBC AUDIO DRAMA AWARD FOR BEST ADAPTATION
Tanika Gupta won for her adaptation of A Doll’s House
2008 MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (M.B.E)
The Order of the British Empire rewards contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the Civil Service. Tanika Gupta was awarded an M.B.E in 2008.
2005 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MEDIA AWARD
Tanika Gupta won this award for her radio play ‘Chitra’
2004 LAURENCE OLIVIER NOMINATION
Two of Tanika Gupta’s plays were nominated: Fragile Land and Hobson’s Choice
2004 ETHNIC AND MULTICULTURAL MEDIA AWARD FOR BEST PLAY
Tanika Gupta was awarded this in 2004 for her adaptation of Hobson’s Choice
2003 ASIAN WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (ARTS AND CULTURE CATEGORY)
This award celebrates multicultural Britain and the valuable and important contribution of diverse cultures to UK society.
2000 JOHN WHITING AWARD
The John Whiting Award was presented to Tanika Gupta for the way in which her play ‘The Waiting Room’ showed distinctive development in dramatic writing, with particular relevance to contemporary society.
1998 ETHNIC AND MULTICULTURAL AWARD FOR BEST TELEVISION PRODUCTION
Tanika was awarded this in 1998 for her screenplay ‘Flight’
James Tait Black drama prize