Dada Saheb Phalke award to
Shri Tapan Sinha
02 September 2008, New Delhi |
The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presented the Dada Saheb Falke Award to Shri Anindya Sinha S/o Shri Tapan Sinha, receiving the award on behalf of his father.
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The President Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presented the 54th National Film Awards to winners of different categories at a function this evening in New Delhi. The Dada Saheb Phalke Award for the year 2006 was awarded to eminent Film Director Shri Tapan. Since Shri Tapan Sinha could not come personally because of illness, his son Anindya Sinha received the award. The award is given by the Government of India for outstanding contribution in the field of Indian Cinema. The Award carries a cash price of Rs.Ten lakhs, a Swaran Kamal and a Shawl. Shri Tapan Sinha’s work has won 19 National Film Awards in various categories apart from laurels in international film festivals.
One time Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Thespian Dilip Kumar and veteran actress Saroja Devi. The award for Melody Queen Lata Mangeshkar was received by her nephew Shri Adinath Mangeshkar. Shri Tapan Sinha was presented his award in June this year in Kolkata. These awards were given to commemorate the 60th anniversary of India’s freedom. Each of the award carries a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakhs, a citation and a shawl. In her speech, the President said the annual film awards provide an opportunity to identify new talent as well as honour excellence in the field of cinema. This vast and ever growing popularity of cinema has nourished and ensured a steady and ever increasing audience, which needs to be carefully nurtured, so that they appreciate and accept all that is higher and nobler in life. Women’s viewpoint and the question of their empowerment, are important social issues that need to be highlighted by the film makers, the President said. Full text of President’s speech is available on website i.e. presidentofindia.nic.in.
The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Life Time Achievement Award to the famous film actor
Shri Dilip Kumar |
Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Shri P.R.Dasmunsi said the National Film Awards have not only brought many a talent to the fore but have also helped in encouraging films from various regional cinemas that may perhaps not have come into national recognition. A record number of entries by the first time film makers both in the feature film and non-feature film section reflects a very healthy trends. While films do a great service to our people, they have social responsibility to ensure that religious and cultural distortion and misunderstandings do not reflect in their films, he said. Films must be able to inspire and awake this sense of common unity, within the film lovers of the country. The Minister said we need more talented writers, critics and film appreciators who will mirror, dissect and analyse the films produced. This strengthens the roots of our secularism and democracy. Awards were presented in 31 different categories in the Feature Film Section and 22 categories in the Non-Feature Film Section. Three awards were given for the Best Writing on Cinema. Some the major awards to be presented are as under:
The Best Feature Film Award for the year 2006 was given to the Malayalam film “Pulijanmam’’. The Award carries a Swarna Kamal and Rs.2,50,000 each for the Producer and the Director of the film. Swarna Kamal and cash prize of Rs.2,00,000 each for the Producer and the Director for “Best Popular Film providing wholesale entertainment” was given to Hindi film “Lage Raho Munna Bhai”. Nargis Dutt Award for the Best Feature Film on National Integration was presented for Kannada film “Kallarli Huvagi”. The Award carries Rajat Kamal and cash prize of Rs 1,50,000 each for Producer and Director of the film. The Indira Gandhi Award for the Best First Film of a Director was shared by “Eakantham” (Malayalam) directed by Madhu Kaithapuram and “Kabul Express” (Hindi) directed by Kabir Khan. The Award for the best film on social issues was given to the Telugu film, “Hope”. The Award for the Best direction was received by Madhur Bhandarker for the film ‘Traffic Signal’ (Hindi) for weaving in the lives, livelihoods and concerns of the street dwellers in a metro and the inspiring stand that makes the protagonist a role model across society. Best Actor Award was given to Soumitra Chatterjee for his role in “Podokkhep” (Bengali) for etching the agonies and elations of an elderly person trying to keep peace with changing times while the Award for Best Actress was received by Priyamani for her role in Tamil film “Paruthi Veeran”.
The Award for the Best Child Artist was given to Divya Chahadkar for her role in Konkani film, “Antarnad”. Gurdas Mann has received the Award for the Best Male Playback Singer and Aarti Anklekar Tikekar got the Best Female Playback singer award. The Special Jury Award was given to director Vishal Bhardwaj for Hindi film Omkara for an outstanding film that synergizes international treatment with an earthly rooted sensibility.
The award for the best book on cinema was presented to Jerry Pinto for his book ‘Helen: The Life and Times of an H. Bomb’ for an insightful and witty account of a marginal yet iconic persona of the Hindi cinema. The award for the best film critic were received jointly by G. P. Ramachandran (Malayalam) and Rafique A. R. Baghdadi (English). Two new categories of awards for Best Make-up Artist and Best Animation Film have been introduced this year, besides raising the prize money by five times over last year. The details of all awards are available on PIB website i.e. pib.nic.in.
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Tenth Know India Programme
25 June 2008, New Delhi |
As on previous years, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs would be organising the Know India Programme this year also to associate the younger generation of the Indian Diaspora closely with India. The current programme, the tenth in the series is being arranged for a period of three weeks during the months of December 2008 - January 2009. The exact dates of the programme will be conveyed on receipt of confirmation from respective State Governments. The programme is being organised in partnership with the Governments of Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, with the logisitc support provided by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and of Nehru Yuvak Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) on a non-profit basis.
The participants are provided local hospitality e.g. boarding/lodging in State guest houses or budget hotels, per diem allowance of Rs. 100/- for out-of-pocket expenses, internal travel. They may be granted gratis visa by the High Commission of India, London. After their participation in the Programme, one way economy class international airfare from their respective country to India is reimbursable to them by the High Commission of India, London.
The content of the programme may include the following:
(a) Visit and stay at a University/College/Institute.
(b) Activities related to youth to be organized by NYKS.
(c) Visit to Industry(ies).
(d) Visit to a village
(e) Exposure to Indian media and Film Industry.
(f) Presentations on the country, the constitution, political process etc.
(g) Interaction with NGOs and/or organizations dealing with women affairs.
(h) Calls on high dignitaries, which may include President, Ministers of OIA, Youth Affairs and Sports, Women and Child Development.
(i) Visit to places of historical importance/Monuments.
(j) Cultural events.
Broad guidelines to be followed while making nominations for KIPs are as under:
(i) The Programme is open to youth of Indian Origin (excluding NRIs) in the age group of 18-26 years as on the first day of the month in which the programme is expected to start. A fair mix of males and females is expected.
(ii) The total number of participants in any of the Programme may not exceed 40.
(iii) The candidates should either be studying in the under-graduate level or should have completed under-graduation or equivalent.
(iv) They should be able to converse in English. [They should have studied English as a subject at the High School level or should have English as a medium of instruction for under-graduate course]
(v) They should have distinguished themselves in a particular field and should have abiding interest in India .
(vi) They should not have participated in any previous Know India Programme or Internship Programme for Diaspora Youth.
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Pravasi Bharatiya Divas To Be Held in Chennai
The 7th Pravasi Bharatlya Divas (POD) Convention is scheduled to be held at the Chennal Trade Centre, Chennai from 07-09 January 2009. Organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in partnership with the State Government of Tamil Nadu and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), It would be the first PBD Convention organised in Chennai.
POD Conventions provide a platform for exchange of views and networking to the Persons of Indian Origin settled all over the world on matters of common interest. Such Conventions have helped the Government to better understand the expectations of the Overseas Indians Community from the land of their ancestors and acknowledge the important role played by it in India’s efforts to acquire its rightful place in the comity of nations.
Among the decisions taken by the Government of India as a result of wider consultations held at these Conventions, are formulation of the Overseas Citizenship of India, establishment of Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre, conceptualisation of PlO University, formation of Prime Ministers Global Advisory Council of People of Indian Origin, and the proposed India Development Foundation. A series of Programmes e.g. Know India Programme and Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children are also designed specifically for Diaspora youth.
Among other things, the 7th POD Convention would have sessions on the preservation of Diaspora language and culture and the importance of Diaspora as facilitators and bridge builders. The highlights of PBD 2009 include an Exhibition on Trade & industry, live demonstrations by craftsmen, cultural evenings and post convention tours.
The Convention would be inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India on 8th January. President of India would deliver the valedictory address and also confer Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards for 2009 on 9th’ January. The website wwwpbdlndia.org was launched on 21August 2008 and would provide further details and open the registration.
Source : www.pbdindia.org |
Indian fashion Gurus get a call from Paris
The high-profile Tranoi fair to be held in Paris invites 14 Indian designers and selects 'Made in India' as its next theme. Fourteen top Indian fashion designers will take part in the prestigious Tranoi Fair to be held during the Paris Fashion Week.
The list includes Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Bal, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Abraham & Thakore, Ananmika Khanna, Ashish Soni and Rakesh Agarwal. The fair was first held in 1986 and is considered to be a significant event. It is often described as edgy and is one of the premier fashion trade shows along with Coterie and Premier Vision. The fair sees participation from almost 8,000 professionals and 300 international brands. It does not allow visitors.
This time, the Tranoi fair will have India as the theme. To be titled Made in India, the fair will have an Indian pavilion from October 2 to October 5 and then from March 2 to March 5. "Last year, we did a Japan theme. This year we want to showcase the art and craft of India," says Michael Hadida who, along with his father, has owned the fair for six years.
Long ridiculed for being on the fringes of the global fashion fraternity, this could be the opportunity Indian designers have been waiting for all their lives to show their mettle. Celebrities at home, they have so far failed to make a mark outside the country. Some experts feel it will boost India's profile as a modern design hub.
It is perhaps because of the high profile of the fair that it split wide open the Indian fashion industry. For those who have tuned in late, the question of participation in the fair led to bitter infighting among the members of the fashion industry.
Some Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) members alleged that the former executive director, Sumeet Nair, presented a list of designers favoured by him to the organisers of Tranoi as possible participants. This led to angry e-mail exchanges. Finally after much mud-slinging Nair resigned from his post and some prominent designers decided to exit from the FDCI-organised fashion week.
Hadida had to visit India to "clear the situation". As for the misuse of the Tranoi name in the whole fight, Hadida said: "Our name has been manipulated." FDCI President Sunil Sethi said the council is willing to support any designer who requires financial aid for participation in the fair. FDCI also hopes to organise sponsors for the designers and will act as the nodal body. Hadida will revisit India to attend the FDCI-organised fashion week later this year.
Source: Hindustan Times |
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