Context: Recently, NHRC announced the 7 winners of its tenth prestigious annual competition for short films on human rights.
- The first prize of Rs. 2 lakh was awarded to ‘Doodh Ganga- Valley’s Dying Lifeline’ by Er. Abdul Rashid Bhat from Jammu & Kashmir. The film highlights the pollution of the Doodh Ganga River and the need for its restoration.
- The second prize of Rs. 1.5 lakh was awarded to ‘Fight for Rights’ by Kadarappa Raju from Andhra Pradesh, which focuses on child marriage and education.
- The third prize of Rs. 1 lakh was awarded to ‘GOD’ by Shri R. Ravichandran from Tamil Nadu, a silent film that emphasizes the importance of potable water.
- Four short films were given a cash award of Rs. 50,000 each for ‘Certificate of Special Mention’:
- ‘Aksharabhyasam’ by Shri Haneesh Undramatla from Telangana, highlighting the importance of child education.
- ‘Vilayilla Pattathari (An Inexpensive Graduate)’ by Shri R. Selvam from Tamil Nadu, focusing on the rights of older persons.
- ‘Life of Seetha’ by Shri Madaka Venkata Satyanarayana from Andhra Pradesh, addresses child rights violations due to religious practices.
- ‘Be a Human’ by Shri Lotla Naveen from Andhra Pradesh, which discusses domestic violence, assault on women, and societal intervention.
- The NHRC received 303 short films this year, with 243 entries competing for the awards. The NHRC Short Film Award Scheme, established in 2015, encourages citizens’ efforts to promote and protect human rights.
About the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
- The NHRC of India was established on October 12, 1993.
- It was set up under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993, as amended by the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2006.
- The NHRC is in alignment with the Paris Principles, adopted in October 1991 and endorsed by the UN General Assembly in Resolution 48/134 on December 20, 1993.
- The NHRC reflects India’s commitment to promoting and protecting human rights.
- Section 2(1)(d) of the PHRA defines Human Rights as the rights related to life, liberty, equality, and dignity of the individual, guaranteed by the Constitution or international covenants, and enforceable by Indian courts.