I am happy to know that Surendra Kumar Sahu, my classmate had been Awarded the JAYADEV AWARD by the Govt. of Orissa for his LIFE TIME CONTRIBUTION to the growth of Oriya Cinema on 28 Feb. 2008. My congratulations for the ever smiling and hard working Sahu, who had done a lot for the cause of Oriya Cinema. Jaiswal gave me the news and also his phone number and I was able to call him up and convey my happiness and best wishes. Often Sahu used to come to Chennai for the processing of his films and many a times, we used to meet in the corridors of the Laboratory. When Prasad opened their Colour Laboratories at Bhuvaneshwar his visits to Chennai ended. I missed meeting him as I too don’t go Chennai often as Prasad had established a Lab in Thiruvananthapuram too.
Another good friend of mine, who was my senior, S.Ramachandra (1970 – M.P.P. Batch) had also been conferred with a Life Time Achievement Award by the Karnataka Government for his contribution to Kannada Cinema in 2006. Around that time I happened to be at Bangalore in connection with the International Film Festival and I was able to meet and personally congratulate him for this honour.
