Information and Broadcasting secretary Sunil Arora today said the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune should strengthen its activities and improve its functioning to become an "Institute of Excellence" in the country.
Arora said this during his visit to the institute.
Arora planted a sapling at the Kothrud site of FTII where 32 new staff quarters are being constructed. He also visited the legendary Prabhat Studios at the Law College campus of FTII, and met the Dean (Films), Dean (Television) and the faculty members as well as the staff.
FTII should strengthen its activities and improve its functioning to become an Institute of Excellence in the country, he was quoted as saying by an official release.
The institute was in the thick of controversy for much of the last year because of the students' protest against the appointment of actor Gajendra Chauhan as its chairman.
FTII Director Prashant Pathrabe and Dean (Films) Dr Kedar Awati apprised Arora of details of the activities conducted by the Institute in the past four months.
In the morning, he attended the condolence meeting at the National Film Archives of India in the city over the demise of renowned film archivist and former NFAI Director P K Nair.
Noted film-maker, actor Amol Palekar was also present at the condolence meeting.
