Bhanu Athaiya to be honoured with 'Laadli' lifetime award

Oscar-winning costume designer Bhanu Athaiya will receive the lifetime achievement honour at the Laadli National Media Awards for Gender Sensitivity, while filmmaker Gauri Shinde will be awarded for her debut movie "English Vinglish" at the event to be held here Feb 5.

Athaiya, who had won an Oscar for costume design for British filmmaker Richard Attenborough's 1982 film "Gandhi", will be bestowed the honour at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) here.

"Every year we felicitate a woman achiever from the media, who was a pioneer in her field with the Laadli Lifetime Achievement Award. This year we are conferring the award on Bhanu Athaiya, who made a significant contribution to the film industry as a costume designer, and made a place for herself in a field not usually associated with women," Sharada, director of NGO Population First, the event organisers, said in a statement.

This will be the fourth edition of the awards.

Shinde, who directed Sridevi's comeback vehicle "English Vinglish", will receive the award for best mainline film.

In all, 18 awards will be given out at the event, where acclaimed singer Shubha Mudgal will render a few songs on women empowerment. There will also be short performances by children trained by choreographer Shiamak Davar and the Saxophone Sisters.