50th year celebrations of the Film and Television Institute of India
Around the city — By The Desk on March 1, 2011 at 12:11 PM
Times of India: A festival of films made by past and present students and a seminar on media regulations and policy are among the programmes planned to conclude the 50th year celebrations of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), at the institute’s premises on the Law College road from March 17 to 19.
A special committee has been formed to select the diploma films made by students right from the institute’s inception 50 years ago. “The seminar is scheduled for March 17 and select FTII diploma films will be screened on March 18 and 19,” said Iftekar Ahmed, interim director of the institute.
The Wisdom Tree festival planned by the GraFTII, the institute’s alumni association, has been postponed indefinitely. “However, we are coming out with a book on the institute and an online film competition in the coming months,” said a source from GraFTII.
The institute is seeing steady changes in certain aspects, especially the syllabi and creation of important faculty posts. “The revised syllabi for all the three year diploma courses imparted at FTII have been approved by the Governing Council and the Academic Council. The next thing awaited is the detailed project report (DPR) – currently being prepared by the PK Nair committee – which once approved, will set the next plan of action for the proposed upgradation of the institute,” added Ahmed.
A special budget of Rs 52 crore will be sanctioned by the ministry of information and broadcasting, once the procedures related to the DPR are completed.
Recruitment rules, too, are being revised. “Late last year, we had sent a proposal to the Governing Council regarding creation of around 28 key faculty posts across departments. Revising recruitment rules for faculty and staff and getting clearance on the same will take some months,” said Ahmed.
The 50th year celebrations point towards FTII’s widened reach globally. “There has certainly been a surge in the number of applications we receive every year. Applications come from students from Europe, USA, SAARC nations, South East Asia and also through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations,” says Ahmed.
Gradual expansion of the institute’s infrastructure is also being carried out. “We are bringing in new equipment to support students’ projects. The hostel buildings coming up opposite the FTII premises on the Law College road are expected to be ready by June. The facility can house 100 students,” Ahmed said.
