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The FTII presidential lineage

Before Gajendra Chauhan, presidents of the FTII Society have included bureaucrats, award-winning film and theatre personalities and India’s best-known cartoonist. ATIKH RASHID traces the history.

Gajendra Chauhan

Before Gajendra Chauhan, whose appointment has led to protests, presidents of the Film and Television Institute of India Society have included bureaucrats, award-winning film and theatre personalities, a celebrated author and India’s best-known cartoonist. Atikh Rashid traces the history.

The first two heads of the Film and Television Institute of India, formerly FII when the TV wing was separate, were bureaucrats. Anwar Jamal Kidwai and S M H Burney who successively held the post of secretary, I&B Ministry, chaired the FTII society and governing council from November 1974 to September 1977. Artist R K Laxman was next, after which the FTII head has been mostly a film personality.

The institute was established in 1960 on the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Studio in Pune. It started to conduct courses from 1961. The institute was then headed by a principal (director-cinematographer Jagat Murari from 1962 to 1971). In 1971, the television wing was shifted to Pune from New Delhi and the institute became FTII but remained a subordinate office of the ministry until 1974, when the FTII Society was formed.

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Anwar Jamal Kidwai

November 1, 1974-September 30, 1977
An ex-officio appointment when he was the secretary, I&B Ministry. He went on to found Mass Communication Research Centre at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. It is now known as A J Kidwai Mass Communication Centre.
Filmography: None

S M H Burney
November 25, 1975-September 30, 1977
Part of his term overlapped with Kidwai’s; FTII officials say they served intermittently. He went on to become vice chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia. An IAS officer, he was governor in three states. Wrote All That I Have To Say and Iqbal Poet: A patriot of India.
Filmography: None

R K Laxman
November 1, 1977-September 30, 1980
Creator of ‘The Common Man’, the cartoon character that appeared in The Times Of India for over 50 years. Winner of the Padma Bhushan, the Padma Vibhushan and the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Common Arts.
Filmography: None

Shyam Benegal
February 5, 1981-September 30,1983
September 1989-September 30, 1992
Credited with pioneering “parallel cinema” in Hindi. Many national and international awards, Padma Shri, Padma Bushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Filmography: Includes Ankur (1974), Nishant (1975), Mandi (1983), Trikal (1985), Zubaida (2001)

Mrinal Sen
April 9, 1984-September 30, 1986
Over 25 feature films and many documentaries and shorts. Won national as well as international awards from festivals in Cannes, Montreal, Moscow, Venice. Also a Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner.
Filmography: Includes Bhuvan Shome (1969), Kharji (1980), Khandhar (1984), Antaheen (1993)

Adoor Gopalkrishnan
September 1, 1987-September 1989
November 21, 1992-September 30,1995
Scriptwriter, director, whose Swayamvaram (1972) is a milestone in Malayalam cinema. Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan, set up Kerala’s first Film Society.
Filmography: Includes Kodiyettam (1977), Elippathayam (1981), Kathapurushan (1995)

Mahesh Bhatt
November 20, 1995-September 30, 1998
Director, producer, screenwriter in the mainstream Hindi film industry. Co-owner of production company Vishesh Films. Winner of two National Film Awards.
Filmography: Arth (1982), Saraarnsh (1984), Naam (1986), Jakhm (1998) and many others

Girish Karnad
February 16, 1999-October 10, 2001
Director, writer, playwright, recipient of Jnanpith Award. Honoured with Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan and the winner of four Filmfare Awards.
Filmography: Films include Vamasha Vriksha (1971), Utsav (1984); plays include Yayati (1960), Tughalaq (1964)

Vinod Khanna
October 12, 2001-February 2002
March 4, 2002-March 3, 2005
Leading actor in Hindi popular cinema, 141 films between 1968 and 2013. Many Filmfare Awards.
Filmography: Muqaddar Ka Sikander (1979), Qurbani (1981), Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971) are among his best-known works

U R Ananthamurthy
March 4, 2005-March 3, 2008
March 4, 2008-March 3, 2011
Author and critic, credited with pioneering Navya movement. VC of MG University in Kerala. Finalist for Man Booker for 2013. Padma Bhushan.
Filmography: None; novels include Samskara (1965), Avasthe (1978), Bhava (1994)

Saeed Akhtar Mirza
March 4, 2011-March 3, 2014
Director, screenwriter for Hindi films and television. An alumnus of FTII. Made popular serials Nukkad (1986) and Intezar (1988). Two National Film Awards. Filmography: Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyun Ata Hai (1980), Saleem Langade Pe Mat Ro (1989), Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho (1984), besides TV serials

Gajendra Chauhan
June 9, 2015-
Actor portrayed Yuddhisthira in B R Chopra’s TV serial Mahabharata; small roles in over 150 films. Was part of Hema Malini’s dance troupe for over a decade.
Filmography: Many small roles in films, besides a key one in Doordarshan serial Mahabharata (94 episodes) in the late 1980s.

First uploaded on: 13-07-2015 at 01:22 IST

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