Tulu Sahitya Academy initiates documentaries on achievers

Tulu Sahitya Academy initiates documentaries on achievers

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Dec 29,2015 :  Documentaries have been made on achievers who have significant  achievements in the fields of Tulu language, literature, folklore, art and research. The Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy has taken a step to make documentary films in an effort to document the contributions of achievers in various fields in Dakshina Kannada district.

The documentaries of 12 achievers are ready and the academy is waiting for the completion of one more documentary. The academy is planning to host a programme to release these documentaries in January 2016.

Academy Registrar Chandrahas Rai told media that Rs 12 lakh was earmarked for documenting the lives of achievers in the beginning of the financial year. Accordingly, 12 documentary films are ready, he added.

Documentary films have been made on the lives and achievements of freedom fighter late Ammembala Balappa, poet late Kayyara Kinhanna Rai, organiser late S U Paniyadi, playwright late Macchendranath Pandeshwara, writers Palthadi Ramakrishna Achar and Prof Amruth Someshwar, Yakshagana artistes Mijar Annappa and late Alike Ramayya Rai, researcher late Venkataraj Puninchithaya, folklore artistes Bettampady Chomu, late Dr Koira Balepuni and late Dasarabailu Chaniya Naik (Yakshagana). A documentary will also be made on the achievements of late K N Tailor (film/theatre) as well, he added.

The documentaries of Bettampady Chomu and Dr Koira Balepuni have been made under Special Component Plan (SCP) and late Dasarabailu Chaniya Naik under Tribal Sub Plan.“The making of the documentaries was outsourced.The outsourcing agencies have made these documentaries on a low budget. Under Special Component and Tribal Sub Plans, the academy had received additional funds and they has been utilised for documenting the lives and achievements of artistes from SC/ST communities,” he said.

“The remaining funds will be used to make documentaries next year. The names of the achievers to be documented next year are yet to be decided by the academy members,” Rai said.

The duration of each documentary is 25 minutes. The documentaries on achievers, who are no more, have been made with the available photographs, videos and by interacting with their family members, friends and associates. In fact, the academy had suggested a few names of the associates of the achievers to the outsourcing agencies. While interacting with the family members, a few more names of the close associates cropped up and they have also been included in the documentaries, he added.

Rai said the documentary CDs will be preserved by the academy and they will also be made available to the public at reasonable fees. 

Academy President Janaki Brahmavar said, “The names of the achievers were finalised after collecting opinions from the members and senior writers and well wishers. The project to document the lives of achievers will be continued.”