Aniruddhasingh Dinore, a photographer with TOI-MT, has been awarded first prize at a recent exhibition showcasing photographs from the festival over the years. This recognition highlights Dinore’s talent in capturing the essence of the event through his lens.
Nagpur: The main event of the 145-year-old Marbat festival, one of Nagpur’s oldest cultural traditions, will be organised at Gandhi Putla Chowk from noon on Friday. TOI-MT senior photographer Aniruddhasingh Dinore won the first prize, followed by Rahul Mishra and Yugal Savarkar. A special viewing arrangement has been made near the chowk for foreign delegates who are likely to attend the programme. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis , Union minister Nitin Gadkari , guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and minister of state Ashish Jaiswal are expected to grace the occasion. Consuls general and representatives from France, Italy, Finland and Norway are also expected, along with actor Jackie Shroff , filmmaker Subhash Ghai , cricketer Umesh Yadav and other dignitaries. Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), which has made elaborate arrangements to showcase the festival to a national and international audience, will put up welcome gates, decorate the festival route and erect welcome stages at Kumbharpura Chowk, Golibar Chowk, Bharat Mata Chowk, Shaheed Chowk, Tanga Stand Chowk, Gandhi Putla Chowk, Kotwali Chowk and near Chhotelal Halwai at Maskasath. NMC, along with the Orange City Photographers Club, organised a photography exhibition at Suresh Bhat Auditorium to showcase rare and contemporary images capturing the festival’s evolution.