Pune, 23rd February 2024: The 12th Aarogya Film Festival, dedicated to health-related subjects, was inaugurated in Pune today at the National Film Archive of India (NFAI), organized by the P M Shah Foundation. Dr Abhijit Vaidya, Founder of Aarogya Sena, expressed the significance of film festivals in dispelling misconceptions and superstitions related to healthcare, during the inauguration ceremony.
Addressing the audience, Dr Vaidya stated, “In our efforts to take healthcare to grassroots levels across the country through Aarogya Sena, we have observed that less literate villagers are often more sensitive than highly educated citizens. There is still a lack of awareness about healthcare, and misconceptions prevail due to the limited reach of scientific approaches in our society. Film festivals like Aarogya provide an essential platform to create awareness about critical healthcare subjects.”
Festival Director Adv. Chetan Gandhi and entrepreneur Satish Kondhalkar were also present at the inauguration ceremony. Adv. Chetan Gandhi, who played a pivotal role in organizing the Aarogya Film Festival, shared that over 40 short films and documentaries have been selected to showcase topics related to health and sanitation. The selected films cover a range of subjects, including mental health, child abuse, child health, women’s health, social health, and cancer.
During the event, members of the film selection committee – Anuja Deodhar, Vinay Jawalgikar, Sukhada Khisti, and Jayashree Deodhar – were felicitated. Additionally, representatives of five schools successfully running the school sanitation program under the P M Shah Foundation were honored by Dr Vaidya. These schools include Chandrakant Darode Primary School, HHCP Girls School, Gagangiri Primary School, Gagangiri English Medium School, and Karmaveer Bhaurao Hire High School.
The festival is set to conclude on February 24, providing a platform for filmmakers to contribute to health awareness through the art of cinema.
