Union Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs and Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur has extended his good wishes for the Jammu and Kashmir International Film Festival (JAKIFF) to be held in Pune from June 11-15.
In a statement issued today, Thakur praised Pune-based NGO Sarhad for holding the fest saying he was pleasantly surprised to learn that a film fest centred around the UT is being held in Pune dedicated to KL Saigal and Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma.
Thakur was recently in the city to inaugurate the Sports Complex of the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU).
The JAKIFF Organising Committee led by Sarhad Founder-President Sanjay Nahar, JAKIFF Director Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan, Chief Organiser Dr Shailesh Pagariya and Shripad Dhekane, met the Union Minister on the sidelines of the function and briefed him about the first-of-its-kind film festival outside J&K.
Extending his good wishes to the JAKIFF, Thakur said that it is really praiseworthy that the fest “has got an overwhelming response with 74 entries”. An exhibition on the life and times of santoor maestro Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma will be held on the sidelines of the JAKIFF.
Thakur took details from the organisers about the special bonds between J&K and Maharashtra. He lauded Sarhad’s initiative to educate orphaned and poor children from Kashmir.
He was also apprised of other programmes undertaken by Sarhad for empowering poor women and widows and farmers in the strife-torn state.