Karnataka forest officer gets top photography award

Karnataka Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests MN Jayakumar has been awarded MFIAP-" the highest distinction awarded by the Federation Internationale De L’Art photofraphique (International Federation of Photographic Art), a body affiliated to UNESCO, for a set of 20 images entitled "Spectacular Indian Birds".

Jayakumar was the fourth Indian to have been awarded Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS) and MFIAP, two of the highest distinctions awarded in the field of Photography for Nature Photography, a press release said here today.

The earlier winners are MY Ghorpade, P N A Perumal and B Srinivasa.

The twin distinction of FRPS and MFIAP for Nature Photography to an individual has come after 21 years as Srinivasa got these distinctions in 1989.

Over a period of 30 years, The International Federation of Photographic Art has awarded about 150 MFIAPs of which less than 25 are for Nature Photography.

Jayakumar was awarded FRPS in 2009 and he is the first Forest Officer from India to have received these distinctions.