Awards.... Recognitions.... & DD Sahyadri..........

NAVRATNA AWARDS FUNCTION

Sept 4th, 2010 DDK Mumbai Telecast SAHYDRI CHITRAPAT PURUSKAR.

I was happy to see that in 10 years some thing new was produced by the kendra.

However DD being a public service broadcaster, could have thought of awarding the teachers (to begin with primary & secondary school) in Maharashtra.

A ''Sahydri Shikshan/shikshak'' award would go a long way in recognizing the good work the teachers are doing in shaping our future generation . I hope DD Sahyadri will think about it.

The present programming of the channel continues to be the same , what was envisaged by me nearly 10 years ago.

That reminds me, how in 2002 I had planned the Sahydri Navratna Awards.

Nine years of Navratna Awards......

To judge a person's success , dont just look at where they are now. But how they got there. How many obstacles they had to surmount, how many sacrifices they had to make. How many upheavels they had to overcome.It is the journey that tests the mettle of the traveller. For people like these the journey never ends.

These people strive on with their task, too immersed in their work to bother about applause and accolades. That was the reason I wanted to tell these people through Sahyadri, we want to recognise your work, we want to acknowledge your contribution. With no Strings attached, its our way of humbly saying "Thank you" .

Selected by an independent jury, these awards were conceptulised in the year 2002. Since then they have become a synonym to Excellence in Maharashtra.

The first ever Sahyadri Navratna Puruskar were given on 27th April 2002 at Juhu Centaur , Mumbai.

During my posting at DDK Mumbai (which incidentally has been the longest tenure served by any Director at DDK, all over India), I had a chance to honour 45 personalities of Maharashtra in a span of five years viz. Sachin Tendulkar, Baba Amte, AmolPalekar, Ajit gulabchand (HCC), Mrinal gore, Namdev Dhasal, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Prabhakar Panshikar, Dr Vijay Bhatkar, Dhanraaj Pillay, Sulochana, Rahul Bajaj to name a few....

AND ONCE AGAIN........... Jab We Met

Mukesh Sharma, Amol Palekar & Shibani Sharma a t the China Garden, JVPJ Club

During the tenure with Children's Film Society, India ; I had a chance to work with a number of Bollywood personalities Viz.Dr V Shantaram, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Kidar Sharma, Satyen Bose, Amol Palekar etc.

The relationship with Mr Amol Palekar continues to last till date, inspite of the fact that he has moved to Pune.

The other day he was in Mumbai for the press conference of his latest film ' AND ONCE AGAIN' made in English language. After the press meet Amol Palekar my wife Shibani and myself met for Dinner at China Garden in Juhu Ville Parle Gymkhana.

The dinner session lasted for three hours.

Subsequently on the invitation of Amol Palekar, We attended the premier of "And Once Again" at E-Square Pune on 19th Aug 2010. Needless to mention, the film had the stamp of the Master Craftsman.

The Birth of Hirkani Awards....

How DD Sahyadri Hirkani Awards were born ...

After the Success of Sahyadri Navratna awards, Mukesh Sharma was toying with the idea of creating another TV event focussed at women. As luck would have it, Lux approached DD Mumbai through an Ad agency to produce an event, something on the lines of a Beauty contest.

DD was suppose to invite young beautiful faces from Maharashtra and make them walk the ramp since Brand Lux is associated with Beauty soap.

Mukesh Sharma thought, having a plain beauty contest, (with out associating it with any socially relevant issue), was not intelligent programming. But then, he was seeing some good money for the TV channel. So he worked on it with an idea, which later on became a house hold name & a brand for the Sponsor and DD.

Why talk about external Beauty?

A Women of Substance is far more beautiful then just a beautiful face. The idea clicked with the Sponsors. It was now left with DD to search for such women. Why not look for those women Ikon, who are First in their fields, thought Mukesh Sharma. And the hunt 'Women of Substance' began. DD Sahydri was lucky to select the following in its maiden effort.

1.Sai Paranjpye (1st women TV Producer from DD)

2.Swati Sathe (1st women Jailor)

3.Dr Indra Hinduja (1st women Doctor to produce test tube baby )

4.Urvashi Saxena (1st women Chief Income tax Commissioner, Mumbai )

5.Meera Borwankar (1st women Joint Commissioner, Mumbai Police)

6.Saudamini Deshmukh (1st women Pilot Air India)

7.Manisha Mahiskar (1st women Collector of Sangli)

8.Rajni Pandit (1st women Detective)

9.Padma Bandyopadhyay (1st women Air Vice Marshal)

10.Surekha Yadav (1st Motor women)

During the recording of the ground event of Lux Hirkani Awards at DDK Mumbai, Meera Borwankar (now CP of Pune) said,'' this is a wonderful idea of celebrating Women of substance. But I wonder, if next year, Mukesh Sharma will be able to find, so many FIRST in the respective fields"?

''MULGI SHIKLI PRAGATI JHALLI''

How many of us know, the above Slogan in Marathi language was promoted by Inter Media Programme Coordination Committee (IMPCC) Chaired by Mukesh Sharma in Maharashtra state. The committee had media representatives from all the Nationalised Banks, state & central govt. offices besides Media Units.

Empowering the Girl Child

The effect of this campaign was visible and Bollywood Singer Ila Arun said in one of the award function ''When ever I reads the slogan MULGI SHIKLI PRAGATI JHALLI written on the back of an Auto riksha in Mumbai , it reminds me of the excellent work being done by Mukesh Sharma, for the cause of girl child''

Taking it further , Mukesh Sharma organised Navjyoti Sahydriche , wherein Nine girls from the poorest of the poor families where honoured (with the help of UNICEF & DD) These Girls have excelled in education, in adverse

conditions. In one such function Rupa Shah Vice Chancellor honoured the girl child Wajeeda. Following is the video excerpt.....

Need for Public Service Broadcasting

-The Need For Public Service Broadcasting in India-

Mahesh Bhatt ready to face the camera

As long as, there is commercial broadcasting catering to the CONSUMERS, there will always be space for Public service broadcasting to serve theCITIZENS.

It is in In this context , Mukesh Sharma approached Mahesh Bhatt the (renowned Bollywood Director and Activist), to Anchor the documentary , The Need for Public service Broadcasting in the Multi Channel Era, Scripted & Directed by Mukesh Sharma.

Mahesh Bhatt gladly obliged and faced the Camera. Rest is history....

Mukesh Sharma & Mahesh Bhatt:

World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31. It is meant to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption across the globe.The member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) created World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) in 1987.

The Taj President
At 8 pm on 31 may 2003, kill the habit at a fashion show where film, fashion and media will say no to tobacco.

The event was organised by the Cancer Patients Aid Association.

Directed by Hemant Trivedi, with the help of designers Wendell Rodericks, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Neeta Lulla and Shaina NC, the 60 ramp walkers will include Milind Soman, John Abraham, Jackie Shroff, Sonali Bendre and Cyrus Broacha among others.

Mr Mukesh Sharma was specially invited by Shaina NC to walk the ramp . He wore the dress designed by Neeta Lulla.

In the above picture he is seen with the model Bombaywala, walking for the cause.

10th Annivesary of Saade Naucha Batmya (9.30pm Marathi News) on DD Sahyadri

How many of us in Maharashtra remember , the news at 9.30 pm on DD Sahyadri completes 10 years today. It was on 15 th August 2000, a new Marathi news bulletin was added to the programming of DDK Mumbai. The brain child was Mukesh Sharma who took over as the Director of the TV station on 4th May 2000.

The Guest for the inaugural bulletin was non other then NanaPatekar, who was specially invited by Mukesh Sharma and he obliged. This was also the beginning of Bollywood stars flocking back to Doordarshan Mumbai.

For the next five years DDK Mumbai saw Devanand, Hemamalini, Shabana Aazmi, Prem Chopra, Rakesh Roshan, Subhash Ghai, Shatrughan Sinha, Kumar Saanu, Yukta Mukhi, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Shreya Ghoshal, Jitendra, Shekhar Suman, Raza Murad, Kabir Bedi Anuradha Podwaal,Nashaad, tinu Anand, Anupam Kher, Jaaved Akhtar, Jatin Lalit, Pandit Jasraaj, Aamir Khan, Manoj Bajpai and the list is endless......

Altogether more then 250 Bollywood artiste and technicians came to Doordrshan Mumbai between 2000 to 2006. Why where they so keen to visit the TV station , thats another Story.

As a former Director of DDK Mumbai, I congratulate all my past colleagues for successfully completing 10 years of Saade Naucha Batmya. Happy Independence Day......

Sachindra Tripathi, Mukesh Sharma, Bharat kumar Raut...

Picture Post ...... Straight from the Archive.

Bhavan's Cultural Centre, Mumbai organised a panel discussion entitled Fourth Estate-Page 1. It was attended by the bigwigs of Media industry. Mr Bharat Kumar Raut, Mr Sacheendra Tripathi (Editor Nav Bharat Times,Mumbai), Mr Mukesh Sharma Director DDK Mumbai ,Vishwanath Sachdev (Editor Navneet), Mr Ram Maheshwary (GM) Times of India Group,Members of Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan and Faculty members of the SP Jain Institute of Management and Research were present.

The Panel discussion will be remembered for the heated debate that took place, between the supporters of State broadcasting and Pvt media. Needless to mention Mr Mukesh Sharma was in his Elements all through out the debate, fighting as a lone crusader for the need for Public Service Broadcasting in India. The silent picture speaks of the high decibel level that was generated during the Panel Discussion.

DD Sahyadri has been successfully exploring the pubcaster's autonomy to unleash useful information' Meet Mukesh Sharma, who completed six years at the helm of DD Sahyadri

Another tranquil evening is setting in the imposing Prasar Bharati complex, situated at Mumbai's upscale Worli area. As I enter the DD Kendra Mumbai (DD Sahyadri) office, an eerie silence accompanied by that unmistakable government office aura surrounds me. The staff has slowly started packing their bags, and walking through the vacant corridor, I wonder if that terrible traffic jam has cost me my appointment with the Kendra director Mukesh Sharma.

Meet the man though and any notions that he oversees a culture of ennui are dispelled. Sharma has just come off major brainstorming session with his key officers. As I am ushered into the spacious cabin, Sharma displays no signs of the fatigue. Over a cup of black tea, that Sharma himself prepared, he switches on the cheerful chat. He has been running the show at the Mumbai Kendra in this fashion since the last six years and the way DD Sahyadri evolved during this phase says it all.

In the course of the conversation, the former filmmaker's uninterrupted journey of six years as DD Sahyadri director is unveiled frame by frame.

A UP-ITE COMES TO MUMBAI TO LEAD DD'S MARATHI DRIVE

I have come all the way from Lucknow to Mumbai to head DD Sahyadri. There was a bit of apprehension in my mind when I took up the assignment. Reason, obviously the language and cultural barriers. To think like a Maharashtrian when it comes to conceptualising and ideating programming sounded a difficult proposition. However, I solved the situation successfully by following the strategy of ideating quality programmes and then banking on the local team to do the job perfectly.

I also realised that, I could use my film background to my advantage in this position. Being a filmmaker and producer myself, I think in the same wavelength that my producers think and that came as a huge bonus. My career background helped me to interact with my clients in a better way and overall it helped a lot to increase the Kendra's productivity.

THOSE EARLY DAYS

When I joined on 4 May 2000, DD Sahyadri was in a terrible state then. Poor connectivity, substandard programmes and low grade technical infrastructure had placed us lowest in the Marathi channel chart, behind ETV Marathi, Alpha Marathi (now Zee Marathi), Tara Marathi and Prabhat. I wanted to change this.

The game of life is the game of Snakes & Ladder.There are numerous permutations and combinations. So many ups and downs.

If extremely lucky in life, one can easily climb on the top in a short while by getting the tallest ladder.

Partly lucky can also reach the top but will take a longer time, will have both snakes and ladder on their way up.

Interestingly another set of people can be extremely lucky and extremely unlucky. They nearly reach the top by taking the tallest ladder in a short span of life ,only to come down in the next move , bitten by the longest snake adversity.

Then there are slow and steady people like the tortoise, but reaching the top by taking small but safe ladders. They take their own sweet time and are generally contended.

Similarly in some lives it only pours. All the time they are bitten by snakes of bad luck.

What are you ?

UNICEF AND DDK Mumbai joined hands for the cause of girl child education. In this video Madam Grace Pinto of Ryan Group of Institution, is seen felicitating Savitri the girl child who excelled in education in adverse circumstances.

The Event was conceptualized by Mukesh Sharma. It was attended by former miss world Yukta Mukhi, Raveena Tandon, Aruna Irani, Dr Indira Hinduja (created the first test tube baby in India), Rupa Shah (ex vice chancellor of SNDT university), Sridevi Goyal (DG police) etc

National Award for Operation Pink Pigeon

FROM THE ARCHIVES...... National Award

Operation Pink Pigeon or Ankur Maina aur Kabootar was a co production between CFSI and Mauritius Film Devlopment Corporation. The entire film was shot in Mauritius in 1989. The seeds of co production were sown by Mukesh Sharma way back in 1984, when he visited Mauritius to organize the Ocean Film Festival, carrying CFSI films. Coincidently this was his first trip abroad.

The film was directed by Madan Bawaria, who made Jaya Bachchan a star, in his first diploma film entitled Suman, at FTII. When Jaya bachchan became the Chairperson of CFSI, Madan Bawaria, got a chance to direct a feature film, which was shot by the ace cinematographer A.K. Bir.

Needles to mention, the film went on to win the National Award for the Best Children film in 1990. Mr Bijoy Madhou MD MFDC and Mukesh Sharma Producer in Charge of the film from CFSI, received the coveted National award from the President of India.

From the Archives......

Mukesh Sharma as the Director of Doordarshan Mumbai had several first for his credit. A partnership with UNICEF was the best thing that happened for promoting Girl Child education.

This was also Mukesh sharma's commitment towards Social Broadcasting. Nine Girls from Maharashtra were chosen by UNICEF, from the poorest of the poor families, who have done well in education .

They were then felicitated by Mumbai Doordarshan . An event was created by Mukesh Sharma which was attended by Aruna Irani , Yukta Mukhi , Ravina Tandon and other famous women icons who have contributed to the society in their own field of work.

In the following video Aruna Irani is felicitating the girl child Durga Vshwanath Aatra

From the Archives.....

The year was around mid 1989, Mrs Jaya bachchan was appointed the chairperson of Children 's Film Society, India. She was a media head in a hurry. She committed to the parliament that before the financial year 1989 expires , CFSI will produce at least one full length 35mm children feature film. Mukesh sharma was assigned the task to approach a reputed film director and organize script etc so as to embark on production at the earliest. A director from FTII was chosen and story along with location was finalized .

But as luck would have it, the chosen director left the project for better prospects, before it could take off.

Mrs Jaya bachchan then without betting an eyelid appointed Mukesh Sharma as the Director of the project, and Anokha Aspatal was born.

Subash Ghai's Whistling Woods will imparting training how to make a film , however Project Anokha Aspatal will make us learn , HOW NOT TO MAKE A FILM. But thats another story.

Anokha Aspatal was released in Mauritius and Mrs Jaya Bachchan Brought the 35mm film print with her as her personal baggage. The film was shown at Frankfurt, Chicago , Isfahaan and other film festivals world wide . Mukesh Sharma represented India with his film. The film won the Special Mention Certificate at the International Children's Film festival at Delhi Siri Fort in 1989. Mukesh Sharma Received the same from The Honorable President of India Mr Venketraman as shown in the picture.( Jaya Bachchan's face is hidden behind the certificate). Needless to mention the film was made within the Financial Year and the promise to Parliament was kept.