Mumbai: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has appointed noted Odiya cinematographer AK Bir as one of the independent directors of National Film Development Corporation(NDFD).

Apurba Kishore Bir – popularly known as A.K.Bir – graduated in cinematography from the FTII, Pune, in 1969, and began his career making advertising, documentary and short films.

One of the finest cinematographer-directors the country has produced, Bir has won nine National Awards (three for Best Cinematography and six for Best Direction) and several other national and international awards, including Clio in the USA and the Cannes National in France.

He was a key member of Richard Attenborough’s expert camera team during the shooting of the Oscar-winning film, Gandhi. He handled the second camera in the first unit. He was on the Berlin International Film Festival Jury in 1996.

He has directed five feature films in Oriya, and all of them have won national and international recognition. Lavanya Preeti, one of such films which won the Best Asian Film award at the Osaka international film festival.

His Hindi film Baaja won the National Award for the Best Children’s film in 2003. Hamari Beti, which Bir scripted, directed and photographed, was invited to the World Film Section of the Chicago International Film Festival in 2006