-Anil Bedag
Mumbai: (TNA News Network) Films based on Gandhiji’s life will be preserved with the help of modern technology for long-term preservation by Gandhi Film Foundation in association with PIQL Technology Norway. Last year an official announcement in this regard was made by Gandhi Film Foundation and PIQL Technology Norway.
On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, two documentary films were officially delivered by Preserving Nitin Poddar, Chairman, Gandhi Film Foundation by Ramesh Bajaj of PIQL Technology Norway in a special program organized at the office of Gandhi Film Foundation, Mani Bhawan. Shri Ujjwal Nirgudkar Trustee, Gandhi Film Foundation, Shri Subhash Jayakar Trustee, Gandhi Film Foundation along with other prominent officers were present on the occasion. With this modern technology, films will be preserved for more than a thousand years. Another copy of the film’s prints will be stored at sub-zero temperatures at PIQL’s Arctic World Archive (AWA) in Norway. The scheme was initiated by Ujjwal Nirgudkar and Mr. Subhash Jayakar selected two films based on Gandhi’s life to be preserved. Ravish Mehra, CEO, PIQL, India co-ordinated the scheme with Norway.
The first two films related to Gandhi’s life have been preserved, the first being the 14-minute documentary film Round Table Conference, London (1930–1932) about the Round Table Conference in London, as well as Gandhi’s visits to Switzerland and Italy. The second film is the 11-minute Dandi March, about the salt movement held in Naukhali, Gujarat on 12 March 1930.
Mr. Nitin Poddar, President, Gandhi Films Foundation, said that “Gandhiji’s films contain valuable teachings that need to be preserved for our future generations and if we don’t, I think we will be a great asset to our country.” will fail in his duty.”
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rune Bjarkestrand, Managing Director, PIQL, Norway says that “Films is delighted to preserve this iconic audio-visual of Mahatma Gandhi for cultural heritage for the future”.
Ujjwal Nirgudkar Trustee, Gandhi Film Foundation said that this is India’s first such effort to preserve digital audio-visual data of 35mm films scanned by PIQL’s unique technology for long-term preservation. In future, other films related to Gandhiji will also be preserved with this technique.
