Bhupendra Kainthola, an Indian Information Service (IIS) officer of 1989 batch, has been appointed as the new Director of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). This appointment process, which commenced in February 2015, took over a year to finish. Since DJ Narain, former institute director, completed his term in July 2015, the post was being occupied by a part-timer, Prashant Pathrabe, a director with the Press Information Bureau for last nine months.

Kainthola, who holds a Masters in International Relations from the University of Mumbai, is presently serving as Director (News Room) with DD News since January 2015 and has been responsible for ‘management of news operations and output’. Previously, he has worked with PIB, Directorate of Audio Visual Publicity (DAVP), Directorate of Film Festival (as Director, National Film Awards and Indian Panorama) and Lok Sabha Television.

Did You Know?

• The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India and aided by the Central Government of India.
• It is situated on the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company in Pune.
• Since its inception in 1960, FTII has become India’s premier film and television institute, with its alumni becoming technicians, actors and directors in the film and television industry.
• FTII is a member of the International Liaison Centre of Schools of Cinema and Television (CILECT), an organisation of the world’s leading schools of film and television.