The Award Distribution Ceremony of the 8th Edition of DJ Memorial Photography Contest (DJMPC) was held in Kasthuri Sreenivasan Cultural Centre on 30.7.2019. Sanjay Jayavarthanavelu, Chairman and Managing Director of Lakshmi Machine Works Ltd. presented the awards to the winners, runners and the ace participants.
DJMPC is an annual competitive international photography contest organized by Lakshmi Machine Works Limited (LMW), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, in memory of its past Chairman and Managing Director Dr.D.Jayavarthanavelu (DJ). Maruthachalam, Managing Director, RK Photo Center served as the administrator of DJMPC 2019.
Two themes – Wildlife and Landscape, were given to the participants. The event saw 6,500+ entries (3629 Wildlife submissions and 2897 Landscape Submissions) from 1420 contestants in 40 different countries. The best pictures were chosen by a three-member Jury Panel comprising of Padma Shri Awardee Anup Shah, Steven Yee, CEO, Asia Photographers Union and Dhirtiman Mukherjee, famed Nature Photographer who has been awarded with Carl Zeiss Conservation Award 2013 for his contribution towards conservation of wildlife in India.
The photo titled ‘Fishing Gannetts’ Dr.Thomas Rajan (USA) won the first prize and ‘The Royal Legacy’ by Natan Vishwanath Khanolkar won the 2nd prize in Wildlife. Under Landscape, the picture ‘Gates of Winter’ by Valtteri Mulkahainen of Finland won the first prize and ‘Enlighted’ by Amit Rane of India won the second.
Maruthachalam who is a good friend of Dr.D.Jayavarthanavelu said “some of the best talents in photography from India and abroad have contested. The photographers from Coimbatore are outstanding and remarkable but expecting that every year, there will be a winner from Coimbatore is practically not possible as they face competition from international talents. The themes given in this year’s DJMPC is vital for taking the message of environmental and wildlife preservation. The soul of Dr. D.Jayavarthanavelu would be really proud of the talents and this contest”
The chosen 120 photos will be displayed in Kasthuri Sreenivasan Cultural Centre from July 20th to August 4 for the public.