Jabbar Patel named for top Maharashtra varsity award
Kolhapur (Maharashtra) Renowned film-maker Jabbar Patel has been named for the prestigious 'Principal R.K. Kanbarkar Award' instituted by Shivaji University, Kolhapur, an official said here on Tuesday.
The award, named in memory of the late Principal Kanbarkar, carries a cash prize of Rs 150,000, a citation, a memento and a certificate, said Vice Chancellor Devanand Shinde.
Addressing mediapersons here, Shinde said the award would be presented to Patel, 75, at a special function on April 13 at the university.
Born in Pandharpur, Solapur district, on June 23, 1942, Patel became a qualified doctor but decided to pursue a career in theatre and films, starting with experimental plays, writing and directing them right from college days.
He is credited with taking Marathi theatre and films to a different level with creations like the "Ghashiram Kotwal", an adaptation on Vijay Tendulkar's similarly titled play, which attracted record audiences through the years and is ranked as a classic in Modern Indian Theatre.
Later, he directed-produced several acclaimed films like "Samna", "Jait Re Jait", "Sinhasan", "Umbartha", "Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar", "Ek Hota Vidushak", "Yashwantrao Chavan - Bakhar Eka Vadalachi", "Mukta", "Musafir" and many others.
He also took part in many dramatic competitions and came in contact with top actors and founded the experimental group, 'Theatre Academy', besides acting in several plays himself.
Patel is also credited with making several documentaries and short-biographicals on various eminent personalities.
The late Kanbarkar, who served as the Vice Chancellor of SUK from 1980-1983, was a prominent social and academic figure in this erstwhile royal city of the Chhatrapati rulers of what is now Maharashtra.
After his demise in 2015, his wife Shalini Kanbarkar created an endowment of Rs 2.50 million to the SUK to set up the award which would be presented to eminent personalities from different walks of life or organisations.
The first recipient was eminent scientist and Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao in 2016, followed by the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha in 2017 and Patel for this year.
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West Asia crisis: MEA establishes control room to assist Indians
New Delhi (PTI): The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has set up a control room to assist those affected by the escalating crisis in West Asia.
The MEA has said almost one crore Indian citizens live in West Asia and their safety and well-being is of "utmost priority" for New Delhi.
As the Iran-US conflict widened, the Indian embassy in Iran moved hundreds of Indian students from the Iranian capital of Tehran to safer locations.
"A Control Room has been set up in the Ministry of External Affairs in view of the current situation in West Asia and the Gulf region," the MEA said on Wednesday.
"The Control Room can be contacted from 9 am to 9 pm at: 1800118797 (Toll Free) +91 11 2301 2113, +91 11 2301 4104, +91 11 2301 7905," it added.
The US launched military strikes on Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Following the military offensive, Iran has carried out a wave of attacks mainly targeting Israel and American military bases in several Gulf countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
The MEA on Tuesday noted that almost one crore Indian citizens live and work in the Gulf region, and their "safety and well-being is of utmost priority."
"We cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them," it said.
The MEA said New Delhi will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation and take relevant decisions in the national interest, adding it is in touch with the governments in the region as well as other key partners.
A Special Control Room has been set up in the Ministry of External Affairs in view of the current situation in West Asia and the Gulf region. Details are as below ⬇️
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) March 4, 2026
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