More than 180 alumni of the Film and Television Institute of India and other people associated with the film industry sent a letter to president Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday expressing their dismay at some of the government's recent appointments to positions at the film school. The letter, whose signatories include Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Mani Ratnam, Vidya Balan, Jahnu Barua, Resul Pookutty and Vidya Balan, says that many of these people do "not satisfy the minimum criteria of either a ‘significant contribution’ to, or ‘excellence’ in, cinema".

The students of the institute have been on an indefinite strike since June 12 to highlight many of the problems raised in this letter.

Here is the full text of their appeal to the president.

Honourable Sir,

We write to you at a time when the film-making community – and the public at large – are deeply perturbed by the ongoing mishandling of affairs at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The undersigned are all recipients of National Film Awards over the years, bestowed upon us by the office of the President, in recognition of our films and our cinema-related work. We are writing to collectively bring to your attention the following:

1. The FTII is a premier institute, now in its 55th year. Its alumni include some of the best-known names of the Indian film industry, who have brought national and international recognition to Indian cinema.

2. In June 2015, the Ministry made a series of appointments to the FTII Society. We are dismayed to find among the appointees several people who did not satisfy the minimum criteria of either a ‘significant contribution’ to, or ‘excellence’ in, cinema.

3. We have been particularly disturbed to note that the Ministry had arbitrarily chosen Shri Gajendra Chouhan as the Chairman of the Governing Council, a position earlier held by eminent film-makers like Shri Mrinal Sen, Dr UR Ananthamurthy, Shri Shyam Benegal, Shri Girish Karnad and Shri Adoor Gopalakrishnan, among a host of other eminent appointees. This appears to have been done in haste, sans due diligence or widespread consultations.

4. Even more disturbing is the inclusion of at least four political appointees, with little or no cinematic achievements of note. These include an appointee against whom a Pune Court has passed strictures, doubting her knowledge of cinema, as well as people with no other significant qualification except their affiliation with the political party in power.

5. Even as many of us have registered our protest through the media, the students of the FTII have been on an indefinite strike protesting these appointments and what they rightly see as an attempt to interfere with the autonomy of the institute. In the 85 days since they commenced their strike, we have been anguished to observe the myriad ways in which the Ministry has mishandled the complex set of issues brought up by  the students, the alumni, the film-making community and the wider civil society.

7. We have been especially disturbed at the victimisation of the students, some of whom were subjected to midnight arrests on what prima facie seem to be grossly exaggerated charges including “torture”.

8. We believe that despite the several discussions held between the Ministry and the students, as well as the various attempts at mediation, especially by eminent alumni, no solution seems to be in sight.

We therefore write to you to express our deep anguish and to urge you to intervene directly. We hope our intervention would not just facilitate an end to the current crisis, but also help address the long-term and festering problems faced by the FTII.

May we request you to:

• Declare FTII as a Centre of Excellence and an autonomous institution.

• Assume charge as the Chancellor.

• Direct the Government of India to delink FTII from the Ministry of I & B and to urgently complete all the necessary formalities to grant it autonomy.

• Appoint an independent panel of eminent filmmakers to probe and resolve all the issues arising out of the current crisis as well as to facilitate the immediate resumption of classes and the ongoing diploma film projects.

• Authorise this panel to formally consider all prior reports submitted by various committees – right from the G D Khosla committee (1971) to the P K Nair committee (2011) – and to make final recommendations concerning FTII to your office.

We hope you will accord due weightage to our collective voices and share in our desire to preserve an invaluable institution like the FTII.

We are writing to you as a last resort, before considering any further concerted steps or protests.

The signatories are listed in alphabetical order in two sets, first the alumni from FTII followed by members

of the film fraternity.

1. Abhaya Simha, Director, Gubbachigalu, 2008

2. Abhik Mukhopadhyay, Cinematographer, Patalghar, 2002; Bhalo Theko, 2003; Antaheen, 2008

3. Abhimanyu Dange, Cinematographer, Kaatal, 2012

4. Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Director, Padma Shri, 1984; Dada Saheb Phalke Award, 2004; Padma Vibhushan, 2006; 17 National Awards

5. Ajithkumar B, Editor, Of Confucious, Toy Guns and S-Spots, 1999; Atman, 2002; Naalu Pennungal, 2007

6. Ajit Singh Rathore, Sound Designer, Kramasha, 2009

7. Amit Dutta, Director, Ksha Tra Gya, 2004

8. Amitabh Chakraborty, Editor, Director, Bishar Blues, 2006; Kaal Abhirati, 1990

9. Amlan Datta, Director, Producer, Chronicle of An Amnesiac, 2007; .in for motion, 2009; BOM, 2011

10. Andrea Inneta, Director, Allah is Great, 2012

11. Anil Mehta, Cinematographer, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, 1999

12. Anish John, Sound Designer, Asha Jaoar Majhe, 2014

13. Anirban Dasgupta, Sound Designer, Shabdo, 2012; Nirbashito, 2014

14. Anjali Shukla, Cinematographer, Kutty Srank, 2010

15. Anmol Bhave, Sound Designer, Closer, 2005; Gandha, 2008

16. Anup Mukhopadhyay, Audiographer, Uttara, 1999

17. Arghyakamal Mitra, Editor, Abohoman, 2009

18. Arunaraje Patil, Producer, Director, Mallika Sarabhai, 2000; A New Paradigm, 2002; Behind the Glass Wall, 2014

19. Arun Khopkar, Director, Producer, Film Scholar, Tobacco Habits and Oral Cancer, 1976; Figures of Thought, 1990; Sanchari, 1994; Colours of Absence, 1995; Rasikapriya, 2000; Narayan Gangaram Surve, 2004

20. Arunima Sharma, Director Shyam, Raat, Seher, 2010

21. Ashok Viswanathan, Director, Sunya Theke Suru, 1992; Kichhu Sanglap Kichhu Prolap, 1996

22. Avinash Arun, Director, Cinematographer, Killa, 2014

23. Batul Mukhtiar, Director, Kaphal, 2014

24. Bina Paul, Editor, Mitr, 2002; Unni, 2003

25. Bishwadeep Chatterjee, Sound Designer, Madras Café, 2014

26. Chandita Mukherjee, Director, Totanama, 1992; Another Way of Learning,1995

27. Charushree Roy, Director, Editor, Chasing the Rainbow, 2014

28. Chinmoy Nath, Audiographer, The Vehicle with the Soul of a Man, 2000

29. Deepu S Unni, Cinematographer, Gaarud, 2009

30. Dilip Patnaik, Director, Nilamadhaba, 2008

31. Dipankar Chaki, Sound Designer, Shabdo 2012; Nirbashito, 2014

32. Gadadhar Puty, Director, Pooja, Paeen, Phulati, 2007

33. Gautam Nair, Sound Designer, Ek Do, 2011; Chidhiya Udh, 2013

34. Girish Kasaravalli, Director, Padma Shri, 2011; Avashesh, 1975; Ghatashradhdha, 1977; Tabarana Kathe, 1986; Thaaye Saheba, 1997; Kraurya, 1996; Dweepa, 2002

35. Gurvinder Singh, Director, Anhey Ghorhey Da Daan, 2011

36. Hansa Thapliyal, Director, Jee Karta Tha, 1998

37. Harikumar Madhavan Nair, Audiography, A Pestering Journey, 2011

38. Hari Nair, Cinematographer, Sham’s Vision, 1996

39. Harshvardhan Kulkarni, Director, Lost & Found, 2008

40. Indraneel Lahiri, Cinematograher, Aamar Katha, Story of Binodini, 2015

41. Irene Dhar Malik, Editor, Celluloid Man, 2013

42. Jahnu Barua, Director, Padma Shri, 2015, Aparoopa, 1983; Halodhia Choraye Bhaodan Khai, 1987; Bonani, 1990; Firingoti, 1992; Xagoroloi Bohu Door, 1995; The Price of Freedom, 1998; And the River Flows, 1999; Ride on the Rainbow, 2003; Baandhon, 2012; Ajeyo, 2013

43. Jasmin Kaur, Director, Saanjh, 2004

44. Jayakrishna Gummadi, Cinematographer, When This Man Dies, 2007

45. Kamal Swaroop, Director, Phalke’s Children; Rangbhoomi, 2013

46. Kaushal Oza, Director, Vaishnav Jan Toh, 2009, Afterglow, 2012

47. Kavin Jagtiani, Cinematographer, Mandrake Mandrake, 2013

48. KG George, Director, Swapnadanam, 1975

49. KG Jayan, Cinematographer, 18 Elephants- 3 Monologues, 2003

50. KR Mohanan, Director, Purushartham, 1987; Swaroopam, 1992;

51. Kirti Nakhwa, Producer, Lost & Found, 2008

52. Krishnanunni, Audiographer, Anandaram, 1987; Piravi, 1988;  Desadanam, 1996

53. Kundan Shah, Director, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, 1984

54. Lipika Singh Darai, Sound Recordist, Gaarud, 2009; A Tree, A Man, A Sea, 2012; Kankee O Saapo, 2013

55. Madhu Ambat, Cinematographer, Adi Sankaracharya, 1984; Sringaram, 2006; Adaminte Makan Abu, 2010

56. Mahesh Thottathil, Director, Death of a Prodigal Son, 1994

57. Manisha Dwiwedi, Director, Avchetan, 2003

58. Manoj Kannoth, Editor, Stations, 2008

59. Manoj Nitharwal, Director, Seek & Hide, 2015

60. Manoj Lobo, Cinematographer, Girni, 2005

61. MP Sukumaran Nair, Director, Sayanam, 2001; Drishtantham, 2007

62. MR Rajan, Director, Pakarnnattam, 1997; Ithihasathite Sparsham, 1999; Unarvite Kalam, 1999; Nottam, 2000; Minukku, 2006

63. Murali, Cinematographer, Shyam, Raat, Seher, 2010

64. Nandan Kudhyadi, Director, Producer, CV Raman, 1989; Rasayatra, 1995

65. Nandkumar Kavil, Director, Athmeeyam, 1996

66. Nihar Samal, Sound Designer, Tatvam Asi, 1997

67. Nilanjan Dutta, Director, Bhanga Gara, 2007

68. Nishtha Jain, Director, Gulaabi Gang, 2014

69. Pankaj Purandare, Director, Dwija, 2004

70. Pankaj Seal, Audiographer, Matir Bhnar, 1998

71. Paresh Kamdar, Editor, Rasayatra, 1994

72. PP Govindan, Malbarriyum Pattunoolam, 1992

73. Prashant Naik, Editor, Harvest of Hunger, 2004

74. Prateek Vats, Director, Kal 15 August Dukaan Band Rahegi, 2010

75. Radhakrishnan, Sound Designer, Annayam Rasoolam, 2013

76. Rajat Kapoor, Director, Tarana, 1995; Hynothesis, 1998; Raghu Romeo, 2004

77. Rajeev Ravi, Cinematographer, Liar’s Dice, 2013

78. Ranjan Palit, Cinematographer, Director, Voices from Baliapal, 1989; In the Forest Hangs the Bridge, 1998; Kaya Pooch Maya Se, 2003 ; In Camera, 2009

79. Reena Mohan, Director, Editor, Kamalabai 1991; In The Forest Hangs a Bridge, 1998

80. Renu Sawant, Director, Airawat, 2011, Aranyak, 2014

81. Resul Pookutty, Sound Designer, Padma Shri, 2010; Keralavarm Pazhissiraja, 2009

82. Saeed Mirza, Director, Mohan Joshi Hazar Ho, 1984; Naseem, 1996

83. Saikat S Ray, Editor, Hope Dies Last In War, 2007

84. Sanjiv Shah, Editor, Mirch Masala, 1985

85. Sanju Surendran, Director, Kapila, 2014

86. Sankalp Meshram, Editor, Director, Lokpriya, 2000; Chhutkan Ki Mahabharat, 2005; Lasya Kavya The World of Alarmel Valli, 2012

87. Santosh Sivan, Cinematographer, Director, Producer, Padma Shri, 2014, Story of Tiblu, 1988; Mohiniyattam, 1991; Perumthachan, 1991; Halo, 1996; Kala Paani, 1996; Iruvar, 1998; Malli, 1998; The Terrorist, 1998; Dil Se, 1999; Navarasa, 2004; Prarambha, 2008; Indian Rupee, 2011

88. Satheesh PM, Sound Designer, Kumar Talkies, 1999

89. Satya Rai Nagpaul, Cinematographer, Anhey Ghorhey Da Daan, 2011

90. Shabnam Sukhdev, Director, The Last Adieu, 2013

91. Shaji N Karun, Cinematographer, Director, Padma Shri, 2011, Thampu, 1979; Piravi, 1989; Swaham, 1995; Sham’s Vision, 1997; Vanaprastham, 1999; Kutty Srank, 2009

92. Shanker Raman, Cinematographer, Producer, Frozen, 2007; Harud, 2012

93. Sivaprasad, Ormayude Theerangalil, 1994

94. Sourav Sarangi, Director, Bilal, 2009; Char: The No-Man’s Island, 2012

95. Subash Sahoo, Sound Engineer and Designer, Omkara, 2007; Kaminey, 2010

96. Sudhakar Reddy, Director-Cinematographer, Ek Akaash, 2003

97. Sudheer Palsane, Cinematographer, Koyad, 2012

98. Sunil Sukhtankar, Director, Doghi, 1996; Devrai, 2004

99. Sunny Joseph, Director, Clown and Dog, 1984

100. Suresh Pai, Editor, SNIP!, 2001; Page 3, 2005

101. Susant Misra, Director, Indradhanura Chhaai, 1994; Biswaprakash, 2000

102. Tathagata Singha, Director, Ekti Kaktaliyo Galpo, 2009

103. Umesh Kulkarni, Director, Girni, 2004; Three of Us, 2008; Deool, 2011

104. Unni Vijayan, Director, Lessons in Forgetting, 2012

105. Venu, Cinematographer, Director, Amma Ariyan, 1986; Miss Beatty’s Children, 1992; Ponthan Mada, 1993; Daya, 1998

106. Vinod Sukumaran, Director, Diary of a Housewife, 2002

107. Virendra Saini, Cinematographer, Director, Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro, 1990; Kabhi Paas Kabhi Fail, 1999

108. Vivek, Sound Designer, Ksha Tra Gya, 2004

109. VR Gopinath, Kooduthal Paal Venamenkil, 1983, Unnikuttanu Joli Kitti, 1990

Signatories from the film fraternity

110. Aditya Bikram Sengupta, Asha Jaoar Majhe, 2014

111. Anand Patwardhan, Director, Bombay Our City, 1984

112. Anindya Chattopadhyay, lyricist, Antaheen, 2008

113. Anirban Sengupta, Sound Designer, Shabdo, 2012; Nirbhashito, 2014

114. Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, Producer, Anuranan, 2007; Antaheen, 2008

115. Anjali Menon, Dialogue Writer, Ustad Hotel, 2012

116. Anjan Dutt, Music Director, Ranjana Aami Aar Ashbo, 2011

117. Anwar Rasheed, Best Popular film, Ustad Hotel, 2012

118. Aparna Sen, Padma Shri 1987, 36, Chowringhee Lane, 1981; Paroma, 1984; Yugant, 1995; Paromitar Ek Din, 2000; Mr and Mrs Iyer, 2001; 15, Park Avenue, 2005

119. Asha Achy Joseph, Producer, Diary of a Housewife, 2002

120. Asok Dasgupta, Cinematographer, The Trail, 1998

121. Ashim Ahluwalia, Director, John and Jane, 2007; Miss Lovely, 2014

122. Ayan Bhattacharya, Audiographer, Tender is the Sight, 2014

123. Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Producer, Director, Bagh Bahadur, 1989; Charachar, 1983; Lal Darja, 1997; Mondo Meyer Upakhyan, 2002; Kaalpurush, 2008; Dooratwa, 1978; Phera, 1987; Tahader Katha, 1993; A Painter of Eloquent Silence: Ganesh Pyne, 1998; Uttara, 2000; Swapner Din, 2005

124. Chandramala Bhattacharya, Producer, Kahini, 1996

125. CS Venkiteswaran, Director, Best Critic, 2002, 2009; Pakarnnattam, 1995

126. Dibakar Banerjee, Director, Khosla Ka Ghosla, 2007; Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! 2009

127. Dipankar Chaki, Sound Designer, Shabdo, 2012; Nirbhashito, 2014

128. GP Ramachandran, Critic, Best Critic, 2006

129. Gayatri Chatterjee, Film Scholar, Awara, 1993

130. Geetanjali Thapa, Actress, Liar's Dice, 2013

131. Hansal Mehta, Director, Shahid, 2013

132. I Shanmugadas, Critic, 1999

133. Iram Ghufran, Director, Editor, There is Something in the Air, 2011

134. Joshy Mathew, Producer, Black Forest, 2014

135. Jayaraj, Director, Producer, Kaliyattam, 1997; Vellapokkathil – The Deluge, 2007; Desadanam, 1996; Shantham, 2000; Daivanamathil, 2005; Ottal, 2014

136. Kamal Perumazhakkalam, 2004, Karutha Pakshikal, 2006; Celluloid, 2012

137. KP Kumaran, Director, Rugmani, 1988

138. KR Manoj, Director, A Pestering Journey, 2011

139. Kavitha Lankesh, Director, Deeveri, 2000; Preethi, Prema, Pranya, 2004

140. M Manikandan, Director, Kaakkaa Muttai, 2014

141. Madhu Iravankara, Writer, 1999, Best book on cinema

142. Malay Bhattacharya, Director, Kahini, 1996

143. Mani Ratnam, Padma Shri, 2002; Mouna Ragam, 1986; Geethanjali, 1989; Anjali, 1990, Roja, 1992; Bombay, 1995; Kannathil Muthamittal, 2002

144. Nagraj Manjule, Director, Fandry, 2013

145. Nandan Saxena, Director, Cotton For My Shroud, 2011; Candles in the Wind, 2013; I Cannot Give You My Forest, 2014

146. Neel Dutt, Music Director, Ranjana Aami Aar Ashbo, 2011

147. Nilanjan Bhattacharya, Producer, Under This Sun, 2005; Johar: Welcome to our World, 2011

148. Nirmal Chander, Director, Dreaming Tajmahal, 2012

149. Onir, Director, I Am, 2012

150. Parthapratim Barman, Sound Designer, Bishar Blues, 2008

151. Pradip Krishen, Director, In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones, 1989; Electric Moon, 1992

152. Priyanandanan, Producer, Pulijanmam, 2006

153. Pradipto Bhattacharya, producer, Bakita Byaktigoto, 2013

154. Rajeev Nath, Director, Janani, 1998

155. Revathi, Actress, Producer, Thevar Magan, 1992; Mitr, My Friend, 2002; Red Building Where the Sun Sets, 2011

156. Rakesh Sharma, Director, Final Solution, 2006

157. Ranjith, Producer, Spirit, 2012, Thirakkatha, 2008, Indian Rupee, 2011

158. Ranajit Ray, Director, Documentation of Clay Images of Kumartuli, 2014

159. Rinku R Thomas, Director, Timbaktu, 2012

160. Sabarni Das, Costume Designer, Jatishwar, 2010

161. Salim Ahmed, Producer, Adaminte Makan Abu, 2011

162. Sabu Cyril, Production Designer, Thenmavin Kombath, 1994; Kaalapani, 1995; Om Shanti Om, 2007; Enthiran, 2010

163. Sanjay Kak, Director, In the Forest Hangs a Bridge, 1999

164. Sarbajit Sen, Producer, Painting in Time, 1995

165. Sathyan Anthikkad, Director, Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal, 2000

166. Sibi Malayil, Producer, Kanakkinavu, 1997; Aakasadoothu, 1994; Doore Doore Koodu Koottam, 1987

167. Shajith Koyeri, Sound Designer, Omkara, 2006

168. Sidhartha Siva, Director, 101 Chodyangal, 2013; Ain, 2014

169. Somnath Gupta, Director, Aami Aadu, 2011

170. Sreekar Prasad, Editor Raakh, 1989; Rag Birag, 1997; Nauka Caritramu, 1997; The Terrorist, 1998; Vaanaprastham, 2000; Kannathil Muthamittal, 2002; Kutty SrankKaminey, Keralavarma Pazhassiraja, 2010

171. Srijit Mukherjee, Director, Screenplay Writer, Chotushkone, 2014

172. Subhodeep Sengupta, Sound Designer, Chitrasutram, 2010

173. Suja Kulangara, An Encounter with a Life Living, 2004

174. Sudipta Chakraborty, Actress, Bariwali, 2000

175. Sumon Mukhopadhyay, Director, Herbert, 2005

176. Sunil Shanbag, Producer, Maihar Raag, 1994

177. Supriyo Sen, Producer, Nest, 2000; Way Back Home, 2003; Hope Dies Last in War, 2007

178. TV Chandran, Producer, Ponthan Mada, 1993; Ormakal Undayirikkanam, 1995; Mangamma, 1997; Dany, 2001; Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam, 2003; Aadum Koothu, 2005

179. TK Rajeevkumar, Producer, Jalamarmaram, 2000

180. Tarun Bhartiya, Editor, In Camera, 2010

181. VK Joseph, Critic, Best Critic, 2007

182. Veenu Bhushan Viad, Director, Eka Gacha, Eka Mainsha, Eka Samudra, 2012

183. Vidya Balan, Actress, The Dirty Picture, 2011