Osmania University’s EMRC bags top honors at International Film Festival

Hyderabad: The Osmania University Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC) has brought laurels to the institution by winning the first prize in the development category at the 16th UGC-CEC International Nature Film Festival.

EMRC Director, P Raghupathi’s short film, Reaching the Unreached, also secured a citation in the Human Rights category. The UGC and CEC jointly organised this annual film competition to promote awareness about environment, development, human rights, and Swachh Bharat.

The selected films are showcased at the Natura International Film Festival, where winners are awarded cash prizes and certificates. Raghupathi’s award-winning film sheds light on the Ekopadhyaya Bhim Children’s Happiness Centers, an initiative by OU journalism student Santosh Isram and his friends.

These centers aim to educate children from the Guttikoya community residing in remote forest areas. OU Registrar, Prof P. Lakshminaraya, expressed immense pride in the university’s achievement and highlighted the EMRC’s documentary on the dedicated volunteers who travel five to seven kilometers daily to educate these children and bridge the gap between them and the outside world.

This is a historic moment for OU as the EMRC has secured its first-ever award at an international film festival, he said. Raghupathi will be honored at the upcoming International Nature Film Festival. Congratulating the EMRC team, OU in-charge Vice-Chancellor Dana Kishore, Principal Secretary of Higher Education Burra Venkatesham, and UGC Dean Prof. G. Mallesham expressed their hope for more such inspiring films.