Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin felicitates Oscar-winner The Elephant Whisperer's director Kartiki Gonsalves

CM MK Stalin presented a shawl and momento to Kartiki Gonsalves.

Guneet Monga's 'The Elephant Whisperers', a documentary directed by Kartiki Gonsalves paved way for many to believe that India truly can take the centre stage globally. It won the Oscar in the 'Best Documentary Short Film' category against 'Haul Out,' 'How Do You Measure A Year?' 'The Martha Mitchell Effect,' and 'Stranger At The Gate'.

In her winning speech, Gonsalves said, "I stand here today to speak on the sacred bond between us and our natural world. For the respect of indigenous communities. For entity towards other living beings, we share our space with. And finally for co-existence. Thank you to the academy for recognizing our film highlighting indigenous people and animals. To Netflix for believing in the power of this film. To Guneet my Producer and my entire team and finally, to my mother father and sister who are up there somewhere, you're the centre of my universe. To my motherland India."

The film is a heartwarming story of an indigenous couple who have been given an orphaned elephant, Raghu to look after. The story follows the couple's journey as they relentlessly work to ensure Raghu's recovery and survival. The short documentary beautifully stitches the tale of how the couple falls in love with the majestic creature along the course of time. Set against the background of life in the wild spaces of South India The Elephant Whisperers highlights the beauty of exotic wildlife, unforgettable wild spaces, the people and animals who share this space.

The documentary is produced by Guneet Monga and Achin Jain under the banner of Sikhya Entertainment. (ANI)