Markand Jashbhai Bhatt (???-2016)

was a Gujarati theatre actor and director. Born and studied in Vadodara, he taught theatre for more than thirty years at M. S. University. He acted and directed several Gujarati plays. Markand Bhatt was born in 1929 in Vadodara. He started acting at the age of ten in local stage troops. He received master's degree in Drama in 1958 from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.

He served as the Head of the Department of Drama at Saurashtra Sangeet Natak Akademi, Rajkot for two years. He served as the Head of Department of Theatre Art from 1969 to 1989 and the dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts from 1984 to 1989 at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. He was chairman of the Gujarat Sangeet Natak Akademi from 1992 to 1995.

He had acted in more than 1,500 shows of Gujarati plays. He is considered as a pioneer of modern Gujarati theatre who revived the theatre in 1960s. The plays in which he acted include Chandravadan Mehta's Atrulupta Saraswati and Param Maheshwar; Rabindranath Tagore's Nandini, Muktadhara and Arup Ratan; Bhasa's Karnabhar, Shankar Shesh's Raktabeej, Raghuveer Chaudhari's Sikandar Saani and Girish Karnad's Agni Ane Vaarsad. Some other plays are Vasundhara na Vahala Davala, Gagane Megh Chhavayo, Venice no Vepari, Janani Janmabhoomi, Nava Klevar Dharo Hansala, Sumanlal T Dave. He acted in two Gujarati films including Reti na Ratan.

He directed several plays including some acclaimed ones; Dhara Gurjari, Paritran, Shetal Ne Kanthe, Finger Print and Hoholika. He played as an actor and directed plays till 2000. He was associated with an organization, Triveni, to work in field of theatre.

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