Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar today conferred the National Photo Awards- 2011-12 to eminent photojournalishts at a function held here.
The Life-Time Achievement Awards were given to Pranlal Patel, T S Nagarajan and T N A Perumal.
Patel, 104 years of age, had been the primary school teacher who was inclined to photography as an amateur but gradually the passion turned into profession.
He captured the memories of our struggle for independence through his photographs. His picutures celebrate the glory of black and white.
Nagarajan's works have been exhibited and published widely in India and aborad. He had held exhibitions of his works all over the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, in 1982. He has won several awards.
Perumal is considered a doyen of wildlife photography in India. He embraced bird photography as passionate profession in 1960 and won several international awards.
In her address, Kumar photographers' demand that "something should be done" to protect their livelihood in the era of digital photography.
Speaking on the occasion, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said recognizing the technological advancements in the field of photography, the Photo Division had adapted itself to the present-day digital revolution and had begun modernizing its equipment and programmes.
In the Professional Category, the 'Best Professional Photographer of the Year 2011-12' has been given to Salil Bera and award of 'Professional Photographer of the Year 2011-12 on Green India: Environmental Stories' has been given to Pankaj Sharma. The award of 'Professional Photographer of the Year 2011-12 in 'Open Category' was given to Anil Risal Singh.
