On Wednesday, 15 March, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin honoured mahout Bomman and his wife Bellie, who featured in the Oscar-winning documentary The Elephant Whisperers at the State Secretariat.
A couple of days ago, on 11 March, The Elephant Whisperers won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short at the 95th Academy Awards. The 40-minute-long Indian documentary was directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga of Sikhya Entertainment.
It was set in Tamil Nadu's Mudumalai National Park and explores the unbreakable bond between two young elephant calves, Raghu and Ammu, and their human parents, Bomman and Bellie, who belong to the Kattunayakar tribe.
TN CM Stalin felicitates Bomman and Bellie: Stalin honoured the tribal couple by presenting them with trophies and a check for Rs 1 lakh each, along with a citation for their dedication to animal welfare and protection. Appreciating their efforts, the Chief Minister also ordered the payment of Rs 1 lakh each to all 91 mahouts and cavadis at the Mudumalai and Anamalai elephant camps in Tamil Nadu. The funds will be distributed from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund. Stalin has also announced funding assistance of Rs 9.10 crore for the construction of houses for the mahouts and cavadis.
Ooty-based wildlife photographer Kartiki Gonsalves, the filmmaker who directed the award-winning documentary, took to Twitter to share her excitement over the TN CM meeting the couple.
''Overjoyed and so proud to see Bomman and Bellie honoured by our honourable Chief Minister @mkstalin after 'The Elephant Whisperers' won the first academy award for India for an independent film at the 95th Academy Awards,'' she said in a tweet.
Higher officials including the Tamil Nadu Forest Minister M Mathiventhan, Chief Secretary Irai Anbu, and Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Department of Environment, Supriya Sahu were present during the felicitation event held in Chennai.
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