Krishnendu Bose

Krishnendu recently got the highest award in conservation filmmaking in India- the CMS-UNEP Prithvi Ratna Award, in Oct 2009. The citation said “for his sustained and concerted efforts towards enhancing people’s understanding and spreading awareness on diverse environmental issues through films and documentaries ”

Krishnendu makes wildlife and conservation films that highlight the problem no matter how non glossy they might be something we are not used to see. After acquiring a Masters degree in Economics from Delhi School of Economics (1985), he went independent, making documentaries on conservation development politics.

Harvesting Hunger – a film on the politics of food in India won the Special Jury Award at Okomedia Environment Film Festival in Freiberg, Germany in 2000 and awarded at the EarthVision Environment Film Festival in Tokyo 2001. Jardhar Diary – a film on community conservation in a village in Garhwal Himalayas was awarded by Earthvision Environmental Film Festival, Tokyo 2003. His last film is on the tiger crisis- Tiger- The Death Chronicles got the Wildlife Conservation Award at the 4^th Vatavaran Film Festival 2007 and Conservation Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival at Missoula, Montana in 2008.

Along with producing films, he conducts workshops in schools and colleges on Environment using his films as a medium. He has designed and executed exchange programmes between rural communities of India around films made about them. Krishnendu has done pilot project funded by Ministry of Environment of Germany– looking at efficacy of raising awareness for conservation through films among young people. Krishnendu is also a guest faculty at a Media College in Delhi. Krishnendu was selected by Rockefeller Foundation, USA for their international training programme on Environment and Development (LEAD – Leadership in Environment and Development) for the year ‘94-’97. During this fellowship, Krishnendu read position papers on India’s environment in Costa Rica ,Thailand and Zimbabwe respectively. In 2004, Krishnendu was invited as a community film expert by LEAD, to participate in a weeklong workshop with youth in Togo, West Africa, training them in participatory communication. Krishnendu was invited to attended and screen his films, at the First Congress on Communication for Development in Rome, Oct 2006.

Since 1996 Krishnendu, has also involved in International Television production. He has produced shows for Sony- AXN’s- Amazing Race Asia. He has also co-produced an award winning documentary on pesticide deaths with Honrung Television, Hamburg – Cycle of Poison. He has been line producer of television programmes produced by Paramount Television, Hollywood for their wildlife Series Wild Things, CBS Network for their 7 time Emmy Awarded Series Amazing Race, and a science series- Daily Planet for Discovery Channel, Canada among many other shows.