Noted film historian and film scholar BD Garga (87) passed away Monday morning following a brief illness.
One of India’s most eminent film scholars, Garga compiled the first film anthology to commemorate the golden jubilee of Indian cinema in 1963. He had written, directed and produced over fifty documentary films in his lifetime. He was also a founding member of the National Film Archive, Pune. He was honoured by the Film Federation of India for his contribution to the growth of cinema in the country. In 1996, he received the first V. Shantaram Award for Lifetime Achievement at the Mumbai International Film Festival.
Among his books are 'So Many Cinemas: The Motion Picture in India' and 'The Art of Cinema: An Insider’s Journey through Fifty Years of Film History.' His book, 'From Raj to Swaraj: The Non-fiction Film in India' won the National Award for the Best Book on Cinema for 2009. His latest, 'Pictorial History of Indian Silent Cinema' was due this year.
Garga who lived in Goa, is survived by his wife and daughter.
