Jagat Murari was a distinguished Indian documentary filmmaker, known well for his contributions to Indian cinema as a producer, director and, above all, educator.
17 Facts About Jagat Murari
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Jagat Murari earned a Masters in Physics at Patna University and then, feeling that his background in physics would be useful in cinema, he obtained a Masters in Cinema in 1947 from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
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Jagat Murari returned to India early the next year and joined the Films Division as a deputy director just a few months after its creation.
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Jagat Murari then become a director, and then assistant producer.
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Jagat Murari joined the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune soon after its creation in 1961 and worked there until 1971.
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Jagat Murari taught courses in documentary filmmaking and film direction, among other subjects as teaching Principal.
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Jagat Murari was very popular for his polite, kind-hearted nature and his dedication to his students.
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In 1962, the government asked Jagat Murari to start the National Film Archives of India in Pune, because the Film Institute needed a good film collection for educational purposes.
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Jagat Murari established the vision for this new organization, shaped its objectives, and secured its funding.
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Jagat Murari went back to the Film Institute in 1976 and retired three years later.
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Jagat Murari made 10 films in those years, some for the Films Division, some for other organisations.
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Jagat Murari was still behind the camera at the age of 70.
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Jagat Murari continued to be involved in the film field as an advisor until shortly before his death.
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Jagat Murari died on 13 April 2007 at the age of 85 after battling cancer.
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Jagat Murari is survived by his wife Lakshmi Murari, three sons, Ashok, Anoop and Vivek, and a daughter, Radha Chadha.
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Jagat Murari won the first President's Gold Medal in 1954 for his 1952 documentary film Mahabalipuram.
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Jagat Murari won several other national awards and international acclaim at festivals in Berlin, Venice, Edinburgh, San Francisco and Cannes.