New Delhi, 6 March: Information & Broadcasting Secretary Sunil Arora said today that the Film and Television Institute of India should strengthen its activities and improve on its functioning to become an Institute of Excellence in the country.

Arora, who was in Pune to attend the concluding function of the National Film Archives of India Workshop on Film Preservation and Restoration, also planted a sapling at the Kothrud site of FTII wherein 32 new staff quarters are being constructed. He also visited the legendary Prabhat Studios at the Law College campus of FTII. He met the dean (Films) Kedar Awasthi, Dean (Television) and the faculty members as well as the staff.

Director Prashant Pathrabe and Awati shared with him the details of the activities conducted by the Institute in the past four months.

In the morning, he attended the condolence meeting at NFAI arranged on the demise of film archivist and former NFAI Director P.K.Nair who passed away two days ago.

Arora said "P K Nair's contribution was big in setting up the film archive. I hope his work would inspire and help build up larger momentum in the film archiving and preservation movement of the country."   He said there was no greater tribute to Nair than to hold this workshop and carry on diligently with preservation/restoration work.

Around sixty persons were present at the meeting including NFAI director Prakash Magdum, filmmaker Amol Palekar and former director Suresh Chabria. Ashay Film Club on behalf of FFSI hoped a scholarship in the name of Nair would be instituted.