Life-Time Achievement Awards for Patel, Nagarajan, Perumal

Meira confers second National Photo Awards New Delhi (Agencies): The second National Photo Awards- 2011-12 were conferred on Thursday by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar to eminent photojournalists at a function held in Vigyan Bhavan. The Life-Time Achievement Awards were given to eminent photographers Pranlal Patel, T S Nagarajan and TNA Perumal. Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari speaking on the occasion said that recognizing the technological advancements in the field of photography, the Photo Division had adapted itself to the present-day digital revolution and had begun modernizing its equipment and programmes under Plan Scheme, functional efficacy accordingly. Tewari further said that the initiative of the Photo Division in encouraging other organizations particularly the State Information Departments to initiate the process of Digitization and the Digital Management of the Photographic Images was an important step in mainstreaming the role and relevance of photography in the communication landscape. He added that the endeavour of the Division to obtain very old archival images from different parts of country had enabled the Unit to obtain valuable photographs from the period 1880 onwards. Lauding the award winners, Tewari said the function was a celebration of life to honour the stalwarts of the Indian photographic movement. Each of them had contributed innovatively in presenting the essence of life, the visual portrayal of India as a nation during the course of history. Their works also reflected the dynamic socio cultural ethos of the country in the realm of change and how photography had touched the pulse of the common man in day-to-day life.