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Amoghavarsha JS

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Amoghavarsha JS
Born
Bengaluru, India
EducationBachelor of Computer Science
Occupation(s)Filmmaker and wildlife photographer
Years active2005-present
Websiteamoghavarsha.com

Amoghavarsha JS (born July 10, 1983) is an Indian filmmaker, wildlife photographer, and conservationist. He is known for his documentary filmmaking and contributions to wildlife photography. Prior to his career in media, he worked as a software engineer at Amazon India before founding Mudskipper Labs, a media production company, in 2018.

He is recognised for his work with organisations such as National Geographic and the BBC.[1] He won the 67th National Film Award in 2021 for his film Wild Karnataka, which received accolades for Best Exploration/Adventure Film and Best Narration/Voice Over, with Sir David Attenborough as the narrator.[2]

In addition to his filmmaking achievements, Amoghavarsha has collaborated on several musical projects with composer Ricky Kej.[3] He served as the art director for Divine Tides, an album by Ricky Kej and Stewart Copeland, which won two Grammy Awards at the 64th and 65th Annual Grammy Awards.[4] The song "Mother Earth" from the album was originally composed for Wild Karnataka, a documentary highlighting the biodiversity of Karnataka, India.[5]

In 2015, Amoghavarsha directed[6] Shanti Samsara, a musical project composed by Ricky Kej, which was presented at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.[5][6] The project was officially launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President François Hollande during an event for the International Solar Alliance (ISA).[6] Shanti Samsara features Sanskrit verses, along with spoken word contributions from notable figures such as Amitabh Bachchan, Frances Fisher, and Rosanna Arquette.[6] The project also incorporates visuals from Amoghavarsha's earlier film Kali.[5][7]

Amoghavarsha's 2022 film, Gandhada Gudi, featuring the late Dr. Puneeth Rajkumar, was a commercial success[8] and became one of the top-grossing films in its category in India.[9] He has also appeared as a guest on the TED Talks India Nayi Soch program, hosted by Shah Rukh Khan.[10]

Early life

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Amoghavarsha JS was born in Bangalore, India. He completed a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and worked as a software engineer at Amazon. During this time, he developed an interest in wildlife photography, frequently visiting jungles near Bengaluru.[11] After two years at Amazon, he joined the start-up Asklaila as its first employee, but soon transitioned to a part-time programming role to pursue photography full-time.[11] He later worked for the local search startup Asklaila as its first employee. He co-founded an IOT-wellness start-up in San Francisco and holds 3 patents for the same.[12][13][14]

In 2018 he founded Mudskipper Labs, a factual media studio based in Bengaluru.[15]

Photography

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Amoghavarsha began his photography career by networking and undertaking personal travel, including multiple trips to the Western Ghats,[16] which helped establish his reputation as a wildlife photographer.[17] In his early days, he also served as a photo ambassador for Pixetra, a camera store in Bengaluru, and conducted photography workshops in locations such as Thekkady, Bhadra, and Bannerghatta National Park.[17]

He predominantly works with government forest departments, non-profit organisations and media institutions on conservation and education projects. He has worked closely with CEE and has helped set up interpretation centres. He is also one of the key contributors to the "Science Express – Biodiversity Special", a Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change initiative which toured India for over a year and has been witnessed by more than 2.5 million people.[18] He has contributed to Microsoft research on the cutting-edge digital narratives media project at Hampi.[19]

In 2020, Amoghavarsha served as the expert judge for the Sony BBC Earth photography contest, Earth in Focus.[20] As part of the contest, the winners participated in a masterclass led by Amoghavarsha, where he discussed "The Art of Storytelling Through Photography."[20]

His work has been exhibited in various national and international events. His work has also been exhibited by UGallery and Williams Sonoma. He currently serves as the Canon EOS ambassador for wildlife in India.[21][22]

Filming projects

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  • "Indian Wildlife National Anthem" – Amoghavarsha directed a pan-India wildlife national anthem music video was launched as part of the album Shanti Samsara by Grammy winner Ricky Kej.
  • "Secrets of the King Cobra" – This National Geographic film on the world's largest venomous snake saw Amoghavarsha working as an assistant cameraman. The film follows the King Cobra into its world, revealing what it does, where it goes and who it interacts with.[23][24]
  • "Jaya Hai Kannada Thaye" – This music video saw Grammy winner Ricky Kej and Amoghavarsha (who not only served as Director but also as Director of Photography), joining hands. Launched on 6 regional channels, this is India's first wildlife music video. It gained a million views in a week.
  • "Huli: How to Save the Tiger? (also known as Huli: Technology to the Frontiers of Tiger Conservation)" – This short film was nominated at India's reputed wildlife film festival "CMS Vatavaran Environment and Wildlife Film Festival 2013". It sheds light on the forest staff that protects our forests as well as what goes into saving the national animal, by going deep into the BRT Tiger Reserve of Karnataka.
  • "River Terns of Bhadra" – This film showcases the lives of beautiful River Terns that throng the Bhadra backwaters in the summers. It is one of India's first wildlife films to be licensed under Creative Commons (a copyright permission that grants creative work). Nominated at the CMS Vatavaran 2015 film festival,[25] the film was made using hidden camera traps, underwater cameras and high-speed cameras. Premiering at the UB City Amphitheatre in Bangalore to celebrate Wildlife Week, the film assisted the cause of conservation.
  • "Kali"[26][27] – This film on the Kali River that flows through the Western Ghats of India, follows the journey of a 100-year-old grandmother to the source of the river. Following a univocal response from policymakers after watching the movie, the Dandeli Anshi Tiger Reserve was renamed to Kali Tiger Reserve. The movie won the Impactdocs Award of Merit in 2016.
  • "Wild Karnataka"[28] – As India's first blue-chip natural history movie, Wild Karnataka showcases the rich biodiversity of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is narrated by Sir David Attenborough. It was released in PVR screens within India in January 2020 and was shown at a special screening at the United Nations headquarters on World Wildlife Day (3 March).[29] Amoghavarsha co-directed this 4K ultra-HD film with Kalyan Varma. It is the first Indian wildlife film to be released in theatres[30] as well as one that created history by completing 50 days in the theatres.
  • "Gandhada Gudi" – His latest film Gandhada Gudi starring Dr Puneeth Rajkumar and himself was released on 28 October 2022 and is a unique film that explores the breathtaking beauty of Karnataka. The film has become a box office hit and a top-grosser in its category in India. The film's impact extends beyond its entertainment value, as it has been watched by nearly half a million children and is considered an educational tool by educators and school authorities. The film has also made a lasting impact by inspiring tree plantation drives across the Karnataka state, particularly in schools and colleges, making it a true testament to the power of film to inspire positive change in society[31]
  • "Homecoming-the Adventure Of A Green Sea Turtle (Puddles - The Turtle Story)[32]" is one of the first and only underwater Indian films centered around a sea turtle that confronts the harsh realities of plastic pollution in its home—the oceans. Narrated by Jackie Shroff and Dia Mirza, it is currently playing at the Museum of Solutions in Mumbai.
  • "Wild Mumbai" – This upcoming directorial venture is a project that is similar to Wild Karnataka.It will be directed by Amoghavarsha. This documentary will showcase the biodiversity of places like Aarey Colony, Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the Sewri Mudflats.[33]

Awards and recognitions

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References

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  1. ^ "Amoghavarsha". Australia India Youth Dialogue. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  2. ^ Reporter, Staff (22 March 2021). "Wild Karnataka wins national award in non-feature category". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Narendra Modi, Hollande launch Ricky Kej's new music album in Paris". The Times of India. 1 December 2015. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  4. ^ India, Press Trust of. "Ricky Kej, Anoushka Shankar, earn nominations for 67th Grammy Awards".
  5. ^ a b c Gomes, Suruchi Kapur (26 June 2021). "Grammy award-winner Ricky Kej's new album is an ode to earth". The Sunday Guardian Live. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d R, Chetan (3 December 2015). "PM's documentary show in Paris reveals state link". Bangalore Mirror.
  7. ^ Amoghavarsha (13 August 2015). Kali - The film. Retrieved 26 November 2024 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ "'Gandhada Gudi' beats 'Kantara' opening at the box office with Puneeth fans thronging the theatres". The Times of India. 31 October 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  9. ^ "The Top 10 Highest-Grossing Kannada Films of 2022". Times Prime. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  10. ^
    Amoghavarsha with Shah Rukh Khan

    TED Talks India Nayi Soch (Season 1) and also known as TED Talks India Nayi Baat (Season 2) is an Indian talk show hosted by Shah Rukh Khan, that premiered on Star Plus.

  11. ^ a b Mohan, Deepa (8 December 2008). "In pursuit of a passion". Citizen Matters. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  12. ^ US20200372991A1, Reddy, Rajesh & Shamarao, Amoghavarsha Janakaloti, "Method and system for managing the use of dietary supplements and drugs through mobile devices", issued 2020-11-26 
  13. ^ US11222720B2, Reddy, Rajesh; Leanse, Matt & Philips, Julian et al., "Method for tracking consumption of supplements by a user", issued 2022-01-11 
  14. ^ US20220181002A1, Reddy, Rajesh; Leanse, Matt & Philips, Julian et al., "Method for populating user accounts with profiles of supplements for consumption", issued 2022-06-09 
  15. ^ "Mudskipper". Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  16. ^ Mohan, Deepa (8 December 2008). "In pursuit of a passion". Citizen Matters. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  17. ^ a b Admin (20 June 2024). "10 Indian Wildlife Photographers You Should Follow For Stunning Nature Photography". 121clicks.com. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Amoghavarsha | Work is Journey | CreativeMornings/BLR". CreativeMornings. 22 November 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  19. ^ "Wild Wonders of India". smartphotography.in. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  20. ^ a b Bureau Admin, afaqs! news. "Sony BBC Earth concludes a successful run of photography contest and IP 'Earth in Focus'". www.afaqs.com. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  21. ^ Paul, Mathures (27 August 2023). "Walk on the wild side: Conversations with wildlife photographers about their experiences". Telegraph India.
  22. ^ Paul, Mathures (12 December 2023). "Into the wild with three Canon EOS Ambassadors". www.t2online.in. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  23. ^ "The conservationist filmmakers from Bengaluru who are making a difference". indulgexpress.com. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  24. ^ "Secrets of the King Cobra full movie". Disney+Hotstar. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  25. ^ "Film Entries 2015 | CMS VATAVARAN".
  26. ^ lobo, rashmi rajagopal (9 November 2015). "The raconteur on the river". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  27. ^ "Awards of Merit January 2016". 28 January 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  28. ^ Majestic celebration: Wild Karnataka
  29. ^ "Wild Karnataka to be screened at the UN headquarters on World Wildlife Day – Times of India". The Times of India. 26 February 2020.
  30. ^ "Making of Wild Karnataka, the first Indian wildlife film to be released in theatres". ThePrint. 18 January 2020.
  31. ^ "Gandhada Gudi box office: Appu's film does it again! Outdoes Kantara on Day 5". OTTPlay. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  32. ^ Saran, Sathya (5 December 2023). "The Museum of Solutions in Mumbai is a leap forward for children's museums in India". The Hindu.
  33. ^ ""Wild Mumbai": After Karnataka, Maharashtra Works on Wildlife Documentary".
  34. ^ "National Film Award". The Times of India. 22 March 2021.
  35. ^ "AIYD". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  36. ^ "IMDb Title: River Terns of Bhadra". IMDb.
  37. ^ "IMDb Title: Kali". IMDb.
  38. ^ CMS Vatavaran 2015
  39. ^ "Wild Karnataka to be screened at the UN headquarters on World Wildlife Day – Times of India". The Times of India. 26 February 2020.
  40. ^ "Canon Edge".
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