Film and TV institute students meet Soni

Kolkata, Sep 16 (IANS) Students of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) Friday met union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni and placed their demands for a full time director and chairman for the institute.

'Today (Friday) we held a 20-minute meeting with Ambika Soni and demanded that the university needs a full time director and chairman for the development of the institute. The chairman of our institute is like a non entity... we have not met him yet. He is never available for the students,' said Sunny Lahiri, general secretary, SRFTI student's union.

Bengali actor Ranjit Mullick is the chairman of the institute. He was appointed as the chairman of the institute last year by replacing renowned director Buddhadeb Dasgupta.

'The director of the institute Shankar Mohan is not a permanent one. He is having a joint office with Goa International Film Festival. We have requested the minister to look into the matter and she has promised to,' said Lahiri.

Lahiri also added that they will soon visit Delhi to meet the minister and discuss the matters once again.

Expressing sympathy for the concerns of the student, Soni said: 'They want to have a full time director and chairman. That is quite natural. Ranjit Mullick has expressed his desire to leave as he is not keeping well. They also want more representation of the student's body in the management.'

'I advised that we can interact and sort out the problems. I have addressed such problems in Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Pune also,' she said.