Sunday, October 20, 2013

Vasundhara Film Festival at Amravati made thousands 'wild'

A report:

Amravati (4 October 2013)

The very popular Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film Festival was organized at Amravati by the 23-year old NGO Nature Conservation Society, Amravati (NCSA), and the nationally known Satpuda Foundation (SF). The event took place from 1-3 October 2013 at the famous Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal (HVPM) premises and also at SGB Amravati University campus. 


















This year the Film Festival screened around 40 national and international thrilling and informative new wildlife films. Apart from wildlife films, nature lovers also got the opportunity to meet and hear a presentation on marine biology by the well-known marine scientist Dr Deepak Apte from Mumbai; and renowned ornithologist Mr P M Lad who worked with the late Dr Salim Ali spoke on Indian birds. Geologist-turned-water conservationist Dr Suresh Khanapurkar delivered a thought-provoking on water conservation that was appreciated by the gathering. 
Photos below (Left: Dr Deepak Apte, Right: Dr P M Lad)










Dr Deepak Apte also delivered a talk to university students in the morning. Dr Apte, author of two excellent books on marine biology, spoke on marine species conservation and made an appeal to students to pay attention to these attractive species along with terrestrial species like tigers. Mr P M Lad spoke on important sightings of birds and their conservation. He expressed worry about the apathy shown by the government towards conservation of species like the Lesser Florican. 


Apart from the informative lectures on special topics, the students also enjoyed a photo exhibition of wildlife photographs with great conservation significance, by amateur photographers. 

Below: Visitors at the exhibition















The workshop on wildlife photography by professional photographer Yuvraj Patil received a hugely enthusiastic response for the second year. Almost 200 participants were present for the workshop. Photos below. 



















































Geologist-turned-water conservationist Mr Suresh Khanapurkar delivered a thought-provoking talk which was well-received by the print media. The talk highlighted many shortcomings in the government water conservation policy and explained the 'Shirpur water conservation pattern'. The talk was appreciated by the gathering. Rahul Kalmegh, staff of NCSA who mobilized support from the tribal community in Melghat and constructed 10 water conservation structures, was felicitated by Mr Khanapurkar. Below: Mr Khanapurka on the dais















School students shared their knowledge through an elocution competition on environmental issues. Similarly the Green Conference was organized for university students by HVPM College of Engineering as a part of this Festival. The conference received a great response from students from 16 different institutions. University departments participated in the event and around 150 research papers were presented by students. The prizes worth Rs 60000 were distributed to the best papers in each theme. Prof S V Rode co-ordinated this event under the able guidance of Dr A B Marathe, Principal, HVPM College of Engineering. 
















Above: student participating in elocution contest

As the event took place during World Wildlife Week (1 to 8 October) several field programmes like a Green Cycle Rally, nature walk and birdwatching in Pohara Reserve Forest, and a nature quiz were also organized for school students. 

Wild Heroes

Nature Conservation Society, Amravati and Satpuda Foundation had appointed a jury to select the awardees to be felicitated with 'Vasundhara Sanman' for lifetime service in the field of wildlife conservation; 'Vasundhara Rakshav' to forest staff who served in the field for wildlife protection, and 'Vasundhara Mitra' to conservationists for their significant work in the field of wildlife conservation. 

Mr P M Lad, retired Chief Wildlife Warden of Madhya Pradesh state received the prestigious 'Vasundhara Sanman' for lifetime service in the field of wildlife conservation from Mr Dinesh Tyagi, Field Director of Melghat Tiger Reserve. Mrs Lad was also felicitated on this occasion. Photo below. 

































Above: Forester Mr C S Hiwarale was felicitated by Mr P M Lad















Above: Forest Guard Sunil Wakode felicitated by Mr Dinesh Tyagi, Field Director of Melghat Tiger Reserve (IFS), for the best tiger protection work in Melghat

Rajashree Khalap (Mumbai), Rajendra Nannaware (Jalgaon) and Anant Marathe (Amravati) felicitated with the Vasundhara Mitra Award

Rajashree Khalap who was an advertising copywriter for five years, in leading advertising agencies Lintas and JWT, now turned wildlife conservationist. In 1993 Rajashree gave up her lucrative career and took up full time voluntary animal welfare work, focussing on rabies control in street dogs. She was a project manager with a Mumbai animal welfare organization until 2007.

Rajashree Khalap














Being an avid bird enthusiast and wildlife lover and worried about loss of wild habitat, she started volunteering with Satpuda Foundation in early 2008. Rajashree volunteered (quietly) for the Mobile Health Unit of NCSA and devoted her services to tribals in Pench, Tadoba and Pench MP for the last six years. She slowly established her rapport with young tribal villagers, specially tribal girls and women, in Pench Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra and helped them in skill upgradation and providing market linkages to their crafts/products made from lantana. She also assisted in setting up a village IT training centre in Pench Tiger Reserve again through a very dedicated team. 

Her stall at the Indus festival in Mumbai fetched a good crowd and she helped provide tribal youth of Pench with better livelihood options by selling their crafted goods (export quality shopping bags). She has been working as a Mumbai head of Satpuda foundation and brought many young conservationists into the mission of saving tigers. Today Rajashree is working as one of the Trustees of Satpuda Foundation and is helping to create an army of conservation practitioners and raising funds to continue them delivering for wildlife conservation through SF. 

Rajendra Nannaware

















Rajendra Nannaware is fighting a lonely battle in the western part of the Satpuda landscape. He has now set up a network of NGOs and individuals to protect the Yawal wildlife sanctuary from encroachments. Rajendra with the help of Satpuda Foundation has started nature education and community-based conservation programmes around Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary.


Mr Anant Marathe


















Anant Marathe is working as the Principal of HVPM college. He used technology to reduce the carbon footprint to fight climate change. He has been instrumental in putting the technology in place at his institute and making the entire institute energy-efficient. 




















Above: All the three awardees with Tiger Conservationist Mr. Kishor Rithe, Justice of Mumbai High Court Mr. Ambadas Joshi, Convener of the Festival Dr. Ganesh Vankhede and Festival Director Mr.Virendra Chitrav.














Above: Justice of Mumbai High Court Mr.Ambadas Joshi gave a thought-provoking speech explaining how forest destruction and wildlife decline would stop human development.

Other Government and Non-Government Organizations which supported and co-hosted this event includes SGB Amravati University, Wildlife and Environment Conservation Society (WECS), CARS, Amravati Garden Club, Melghat Tiger Reserve and Amravati Forest Circle. 

More photos from the Festival:






Above: The real 'Spiderman' of India, Prof G N Wankhade, Ex-HOD, Zoology Department, Sant Gadgebaba University, Amravati - one of the organizers of the Festival 


Above: Kishor Rithe with Justice Ambadas Joshi of the Mumbai High Court, Chief Guest at the concluding event





Above: Karthik Wat of the event management team

Above: Adwait Keole, of the event management team

The young organizing team that worked hard to make
the Festival a huge success















Prof. Nishikant Kale co-ordinated all the event management teams. Adwait Keole, Atul Tikhe, Neel Mohite, Kartik Wat, Dr Jayant Wadatkar, Vishal Bansod helped to arrange the events. Convener Dr Ganesh Wankhade, Dr Anil Asole, President of NCSA, Dr V T Ingole, Umakant Bhoyar, S N Bhave, Vrunda Bapat, Rajesh Ekghare, Prakash Laddha, Dr Vishal Wadekar,  Kunal Potode, Executive Officer of NCSA, Amol Sawant of Satpuda Foundation, Sachin Ingole, Yogesh, Shilpa Sukhdeve, Sanjay Pundekar of NCSA, Mrs Madhuri Chendke, Dr Chendke of HVPM, Mr Virendra Chitrav, Festival Director of Vasundhara guided and supported the young team in making the festival a grand success.

Indian Science Congress Amravati Chapter, Jadhav Steel Alloys, RM Industries, Late Praveen Khodke Memorial Trust, Prof Ram Meghe Institute of Research and Technology, Badnera, Sipna College of Engineering and Technology, Shivaji Science Art & Commerce College, Amravati, State Bank of India, LIC of India sponsored the event.

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