spontaneity in travel

If you look at how Diwali is celebrated across most Indian cities, you would see a lot of firecrackers, a lot of noise, a lot of Chinese-made cheap electric lights. But deep inside Bengal, in the small town called Kharagpur is a college - IIT where an age old tradition is kept alive - where Diwali still is, what it ought to be, the Festival of Lights. This visual spectacle, is called Illumination. We want the world to know about it.

Kaustubh and I were classmates in college. Together we made about 10 video ads and music videos, directed 2 audio-visual live shows, acted in plays and co-founded the Technology Filmmaking and Photography Society. We toured Europe one summer. That was fun. We live in new Delhi and like to roam around the old streets on weekends. We like our tea hot and spicy. We both can edit, shoot and dance. Only, he can sing. We want to see more of the world and we want to make films.

For me personally, winning the scholarship would be like fulfilling a childhood dream. I grew up watching Lonely Planet and I think a travel documentary maker has the toughest, yet the best job in the world. This scholarship would help give me the push I need.