Tamil Nadu CM felicitates ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ couple; announces cash prizes

Tamil Nadu [India], March 15 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday felicitated the couple who starred in the Oscar-winning documentary film ‘The Elephant Whisperers’.

Chief Minister Stalin honoured Bomman and Bellie, the elephant caretaker couple and announced an award of Rs 1 lakh to each of them. The documentary follows the couple as they fostered elephant calves, Ammu and Raghu.

Stalin also announced Rs 1 lakh award from the Chief Minister’s relief fund to all the 91 workers at two elephant camps in the State.

Tamil Nadu Government has also allocated a sum of Rs 9.1 crore to build eco-friendly homes for the workers at the elephant camps.

“Rs 5 crore has been allotted to develop an ‘Elephant Camp’ in Anaimalai Tiger Reserve and a new Elephant Camp with basic facilities would be built at Coimbatore Chavadi at the cost of 8 crore rupees,” the Tamil Nadu government announced.

Stalin announced that a new camp will be set up in at Coimbatore Chavadi at the cost of Rs 8 crore.

The ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ starring Bomman and Bellie from Mudhumalai Tiger Reserve won the Oscar in the Best Documentary Short film category at the 95 Academy Awards held in Los Angeles.

Director of the film Kartiki Gonsalves and producer Guneet Monga took centre stage to accept the honour.

‘The Elephant Whisperers’ was nominated against ‘Haul Out,’ ‘How Do You Measure A Year?’ ‘The Martha Mitchell Effect,’ and ‘Stranger At The Gate’.