CM Hemant Soren Hails SRFTI as Pioneer of Indian Cinema
Synopsis
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren praised the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute as one of the world's oldest and most pioneering film bodies. The remarks, shared by the official CMO handle on 22 July 2026, spotlight a national cultural institution and may signal future state-level engagement with cinema education.
Key Takeaways
CM Hemant Soren publicly lauded the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) , Kolkata, calling it one of the oldest and leading institutions in the film world.
The statement was shared by the Chief Minister's Office of Jharkhand on 22 July 2026 .
SRFTI was established in 1995 and is named after Oscar-winning filmmaker Satyajit Ray , who received an Honorary Academy Award in 1992 .
India's first dedicated film training institution, FTII Pune , was set up in 1960 ; SRFTI is its eastern counterpart.
Jharkhand under Soren has emphasised tribal arts and regional storytelling alongside such national cultural references.
Possible follow-up measures include state scholarships to SRFTI, a state film development corporation, or a Jharkhand film festival.
The Chief Minister's Office of Jharkhand on Wednesday, 22 July 2026 shared remarks by Chief Minister Hemant Soren lauding the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata as one of the oldest and most pioneering institutions in the world of cinema.
Context
In his remarks, CM Soren said: 'Satyajit Ray Film Institute ko shayad hi koi na jaanta ho' ('There is hardly anyone who does not know the Satyajit Ray Film Institute'), describing it as 'one of the oldest and leading institutions in the film world, which introduced cinema to the world.' The statement was shared via the official @JharkhandCMO handle, signalling the Chief Minister's acknowledgement of a key national cultural institution.
Policy Backdrop
SRFTI, established in 1995 and named after the Oscar-winning filmmaker Satyajit Ray, is a Kolkata-based national institute offering postgraduate courses in cinema. It is one of India's premier film training bodies, the other being the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, which was set up in 1960 as the country's first dedicated film training institution. Ray himself is best known for the Apu Trilogy and a body of work that brought Indian parallel cinema to global audiences, earning him an Honorary Academy Award in 1992.
State governments across India periodically issue statements recognising such national cultural institutions, often as a signal of alignment with central heritage and arts initiatives. Under Hemant Soren, Jharkhand has combined cultural references of this kind with a broader emphasis on tribal arts and regional storytelling within its education and tourism policies.
Stakeholders and Impact
The primary beneficiaries of SRFTI's work are film students and aspiring filmmakers from across India, including those from eastern and northeastern states for whom the Kolkata campus is geographically accessible. A statement of this nature from a sitting Chief Minister can draw attention to the institute among students in Jharkhand, potentially encouraging applications or state-level support for aspiring cineastes.
Jharkhand, home to a rich tradition of tribal visual storytelling, has a latent creative ecosystem that national film institutions could help channel into formal cinematic training. Any future state-level scholarships or partnerships with SRFTI would directly benefit young filmmakers from the region.
What's Next
Observers will watch for follow-through in the form of concrete policy measures — such as state scholarships to SRFTI, the activation of a Jharkhand State Film Development Corporation, or the announcement of a dedicated Jharkhand film festival — that would translate this cultural acknowledgement into tangible opportunity for the state's youth. The remark may also presage deeper engagement between the Jharkhand government and national cultural bodies under the broader arts and heritage framework.
Point of View
Arts-friendly identity without committing immediate budget. For Jharkhand, however, the stakes are higher than symbolism: the state's tribal storytelling heritage remains largely outside the formal film economy, and a credible pipeline to SRFTI could change that. The remark is best read as a soft opening bid — meaningful only if followed by scholarships, institutional MoUs, or festival infrastructure. Soren's JMM government has consistently framed culture as a pillar of identity politics; translating that into film-sector policy would be a tangible step forward.
NationPress
23 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute?
The Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) is a national film school located in Kolkata, established in 1995 and named after the acclaimed Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray. It offers postgraduate courses in cinema and is one of India's premier film training institutions.
Why did Hemant Soren praise SRFTI?
Chief Minister Hemant Soren described SRFTI as one of the oldest and most pioneering institutions in the film world that introduced cinema to global audiences. The statement was shared by the Jharkhand CMO on 22 July 2026, though no specific occasion for the remarks has been confirmed.
Is SRFTI a central government institution?
Yes, SRFTI is a national institution under the Government of India, similar in mandate to the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, which was established in 1960 as the country's first dedicated film training body.
What could Jharkhand do to support film education after this statement?
Possible next steps include state scholarships for Jharkhand students to attend SRFTI, formation or activation of a Jharkhand State Film Development Corporation, or the launch of a state-level film festival to nurture local talent.
Who was Satyajit Ray and why is the institute named after him?
Satyajit Ray was an acclaimed Indian filmmaker best known for the Apu Trilogy, whose work brought Indian parallel cinema to international recognition. He received an Honorary Academy Award in 1992, and SRFTI was named in his honour after his death in 1992, with the institute established in 1995.
