Professor Rajesh Chandwani, a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), was felicitated by the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony held today at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. He was honoured for the documentary film ‘God, Vultures and Human’, which won the Best Documentary Film Award for the year 2023.
The documentary filmis produced by Professor Rajesh Chandwani and Studio Lichi, and directed by Rishiraj Agarwal.The film is a powerful tribute to the often-overlooked role of Organ Transplant Coordinators (OTCs) in the emotionally challenging process of organ donation and transplantation in India.
Professor Chandwani is a faculty member in the Human Resources ManagementArea andCo-Chairperson of Centre for Management of Health Servicesat IIMA.His research lies at the intersection of healthcare management, Human Resource Management and Information Technology.
Sharing his thoughts on the award, Professor Chandwani said, “While working in the domain of organ donation, I came to know about the critical role of Organ Transplant Coordinators. Their role is paradoxical—seen as ‘God’ by the grateful recipients, yet as ‘Vultures’ by grieving families.
They simultaneously carry the weight of grief, ethical dilemmas, and extraordinary responsibility.The film seeks to humanise their silent labour, blending academic insight with human stories. The film’s recognition with the National Film Award has been a deeply humbling moment in my journey. This project exemplifies my belief that filmmaking can bridge academic scholarship and societal welfare.”
The filmwas premiered at the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation Conference 2024 (ISOT 2024) in Ahmedabad and has been selected for screening at several prestigious Indian and international film festivals, including the Dokubaku International Documentary Film Festival (IDFF) in Baku, Azerbaijan.