NAPA Graduates Decide To Form Alumni Association

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th May, 2025) The graduates of the National Academy of Performing Arts-NAPA have decided to form an alumni association. This they announced in a grand alumni gala event organized at NAPA, which was emceed by tv personality Ovais Mangalwala, another alum.

Some of the alumni who spoke at the event also thanked the NAPA management for giving them this opportunity to get together.

These theater and music graduates also recalled their initial days at the academy. TV and digital journalist Wusatullah Khan narrated how at his age it took him months to be accepted as a student by his classmates and faculty.

He narrated his audition story where Zia Mohyeddin, the then president of NAPA, had stopped him from entering the room telling him that auditions were in progress. "I told him I was there for the precise reason," Khan recalled. When it came to reciting something of his choice, Khan said, Zia had asked him to read a column of his.

Actor Paras Masrur recalled how Zia made him learn the value of being punctual.

"Once I came early and waited outside," he said. "Zia sahib came just a minute before 10 and said 'Why are you early?'" And then at 10, Masrur recalled, Zia moved inside the room, turning to him and saying, "You are late." Such was his sense of humor.

The esteemed alumni, deliberating in a panel discussion, also made suggestions for the improvement of the Conservatory, including review of curriculum and faculty hiring criteria with expert alumni input, inviting legends for workshops, annual alumni festival, and monthly alumni performances.

Ethnomusicologist and NAPA music department coordinator Arsalan Pareyal, theater teacher Zeeshan Nulwala, TV host Mehwish Siddiqui, pianist and NAPA faculty Julian Qaiser, singer Sidra Tahir, and tabla player Waqas Gulab were also part of the panel.

Earlier, NAPA COO Sameeta Ahmed welcomed the alumni and said alumni were the core of every institution. Stunning Alumni performances, in music led by Nigel Bobby, and parhant, followed the panel discussion.