A Lost Classic Returns: Kaziranga Film Festival Revisits 70 Years of Wildlife Legacy

A landmark wildlife documentary, lost for over seven decades, was screened at the Kaziranga CMS VATAVARAN Film Festival, giving audiences a rare glimpse of Kaziranga National Park as it appeared in 1961.

The festival, held at the Kohora Convention Centre, was organized by Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in collaboration with the Kaziranga Wildlife Society (KWS) and CMS VATAVARAN under the theme “Through the Historical Lens.”

The event brought together journalists, filmmakers, students, and community representatives for a day of curated film screenings, panel discussions, and interactive sessions celebrating Kaziranga’s natural and cultural heritage.

Historical Films Meet Modern Conservation

A highlight of the festival was the screening of Kaziranga (1961) by Padma Shri Robin Banerjee, also known as “Uncle Robin.” The documentary, aired on Berlin TV in 1961, offers a rare visual journey through the park’s wildlife and landscapes. Banerjee, a physician-turned-naturalist, produced more than 30 wildlife documentaries, including Rhino Capture, Elephant Capture, and Wild Life of India, winning 14 international awards. He also founded the Kaziranga Wildlife Society and contributed land for local schools and health camps in Golaghat. His former residence now operates as Uncle Robin’s Natural History Museum, preserving his photographs, paintings, and natural history collections.

Other films showcased included:

• Earth Matters – Episode 26 (Riverbank Studio, 26 mins), exploring rhino conservation and Banerjee’s work.

• Heroes of the Wild Frontiers: The Battle of the Horn (Krishnendu Bose, 23 mins), following a forest guard’s final-day anti-poaching operation protecting a rhino.

• Great Indian One-Horned Rhino (Champak Deka, 16 mins), highlighting the species’ unique characteristics, cultural significance, and conservation challenges.

Speakers and Guests

The festival was attended by Samudra Gupta Kashyap, Chancellor of Nagaland University; P N Vasanthi, Director General of CMS; Mubina Akhtar, President of KWS; and other media personnel. Shobhorani Borkotoki, Curator of Uncle Robin’s Natural History Museum, was the guest of honour for the film screenings.

Engaging Discussions: Media, Communities, and Conservation

The festival hosted two parallel sessions:

1. Wildlife in Media: Role of Media in Wildlife Reporting – Challenges & Opportunities
   Moderated by Mubina Akhtar, the session explored how journalism shapes conservation narratives. Speakers included:

   • P N Vasanthi: Media ethics in wildlife reporting

   • Sushanta Talukdar: Challenges and opportunities in print and digital media

   • Anirban Roy: Reporting wildlife trafficking in the Northeast

   • Pranay Bordoloi: Narratives in electronic media

   • Nilapadma Sarma: Reporting from Kaziranga

   • Uttam Saikia: Kaziranga in popular media

2. Communities & Media
   Led by Sonali Ghosh, Field Director, the session included Tridip Sarma (WWF), Gitanjali Kalita (Superintendent), Uttam Saikia (community mediation expert), and Bipanchi Tamuly (sociologist). Discussions focused on the evolving role of Eco-Development Committees and local communities in conservation, highlighting their engagement with media.

Connecting Past and Present

The festival emphasized how historical documentaries can inform contemporary conservation efforts. By revisiting Kaziranga’s ecological and cultural legacy through film, it reinforced the importance of storytelling in inspiring environmental awareness and action among local communities and youth.

“The festival celebrates the guardians of Kaziranga, past and present, and inspires the next generation to protect Assam’s natural heritage,” said Borkotoki.

Through archival screenings, contemporary documentaries, and panel discussions, the Kaziranga CMS VATAVARAN Film Festival celebrated 70 years of conservation, reaffirming the bond between people, wildlife, and one of India’s most iconic national parks.

Also Read: A rare lesson from Kaziranga: A tiger hunts only when it is hungry!