Vinod Ganatra became the first Indian to win the Nelson Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award

Tags: Awards

Vinod Ganatra, a noted filmmaker and editor hailing from Gujarat and now based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, is the firstIndian to be honoured with South Africa's prestigious 'Nelson Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award'.

An Overview of the News

• He received the honour at the 7th Nelson Mandela Children's Film Festival held in Johannesburg, South Africa, recognising his significant contribution in the field of children's cinema.

• Vinod Ganatra is the first Indian to receive the prestigious award.

• The award ceremony took place during the festival, which coincides with Nelson Mandela International Dayobserved annually on July 18.

Background on Vinod Ganatra:

• Vinod Ganatra, a prominent filmmaker and editor originally from Gujarat and now based in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• Active in Film and Television Production since 1982.

• Directed his debut feature film "Heda-Hoda (The Blind Camel)".

Accomplishments:

• Edited and directed over 400 documentaries and newsreels.

• Produced approximately 25 TV programs targeted at children and youth.

• Directed 3 children's films for the Children's Film Society India (CFSI), which collectively earned 23 international awards.

Roles and Contributions in Film Industry:

• Served on the jury of over 100 national, regional, and international film festivals spanning three decades.

• Held roles such as Honorary Secretary, Vice President, and President of the Indian Documentary Producer Association (IDPA).

• Served as a Director of the International Centre of Films for Children & Young People (CIFEJ) from 2014 to 2016.

• Chairman of the Non-Feature Jury at the National Awards 2016 and on the Final Jury of the Marathi Film Awards 2016 by the Government of Maharashtra.

Awards, Global Recognition and Achievements:

• Ganatra has accumulated approximately 36 national and international awards throughout his career.

• He received The Liv Ullmann Peace Prize in Chicago for his Gujarati film 'Harun-Arun' at the 26th Chicago International Children's Film Festival, making him the sole Indian recipient of this honor.

• The Association of Film & Video Editors awarded him the Dada Saheb Phalke-Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Ganatra was honored with the'Janakinath Gaur Award' for his inaugural children's TV program,'Baingan Raja', broadcast on Doordarshan.

• His TV program 'Baingan Raja' was telecast 17 times.

• In 2010, he won the Best Juvenile Audience Award at the Dhaka International Film Festival and the Light of Asia Award in Sri Lanka.

• His film'Hide-N-Seek' (Lukka Chhuppi) is recorded in the Limca Book of World Recordsas the first Children's Feature Film fully shot at the highest altitude in Ladakh, Himalayas.

• In 2011, he received theGolden Butterfly Award for 'Harun-Arun' as the Best Asian Film at the Isfahan International Film Festival in Iran.