He got award after 17 years through RTI

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From Times of India, Mumbai edn 19-11-2009

RTI puts an end to his 17-yr wait for NFDC award

Mohammed Wajihuddin I TNN

Mumbai: Seventeen years is a long time in the life of a film scriptwriter. But thats the period Shyam Rajankar had to wait before the babus at the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) honoured its own commitment. The belated honour has come to Rajankar only through the meticulous use of the RTI Act.
In 1992-93 , Rajankar sent his script Ashwa (Horse) for the information and broadcasting ministry-run NFDCs script competition. It won second prize and Rajankar was intimated that he would soon receive his award which included Rs 15,000, a citation and a shield. It has come but after Rajankar battled an invisible wall of apathy toward creative people by the mandarins in NFDC.
Usually, people feel elated when they get an award. But I feel humiliated because the authorities made me to wait for so long and I ultimately had to use the RTI application , says 54-year-old Rajankar who has not accepted the award yet because the NFDC asked him to gather the award from its office at the swanky Nehru Centre in Worli . Am I a chor (thief) that I would go and get this trophy They dont have the minimum courtesy to give this award by the hands of noted actor Om Puri who is also NFDCs chairman asks Rajankar, an FTII graduate.
When contacted by TOI, NFDCs chief public information officer (CPIO) N K Vyas refused to comment while Puri could not be contacted.
Then a fledgling scriptwriter-director , Rajankar thought he had received a much-needed shot in his career when his script Ashwa won the award. Its the story of a friendship between a poor boy and a horse owned by a decadent feudal lord. The boy envies the lord who owns this horse while the lord detests the boys friendship with his pet. Produced by the Childrens Film Society, Ashwa has travelled to several international film festivals, including in Chicago and Isphahan (Iran).
In 1992-93 , NFDC stopped its script competition. Between the late 1980s and 1990s, a very inefficient person headed NFDC. He functioned like a dictator and humiliated creative people, says veteran film-maker Saeed Mirza whose two pathbreaking filmsAlbert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai and Salim Langde Pe Mat Rowere financed by the NFDC.
But Rajankar is dismayed more with the attitude of the authorities who run the NFDC today. Having visited NFDC a couple of times to enquire about the award function after its announcement, Rajankar got involved in other projects, including NFDCfinanced Bhoomiputra . He had almost forgotten about the award, but for a chance encounter with the letter in his files last year. I was sorting out my papers when I saw this letter which took my train of thoughts to the 1992-93 competition. I reminded the authorities about it but they acted evasive, says the reedthin Rajankar, a bachelor who, who single-handedly brought the arrogant babus to the knees through use of the RTI Act. He has been told that he had received his award money (Rs 15,000) but Rajankar insists he doesnt remember it.
Money is not as important as the honour. I salute the RTI which helped restore my dignity, he says.