IIMA professor’s documentary on organ transplant coordinators wins National Film Award

A documentary film produced by a faculty member of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), Professor Rajesh Chandwani, has won the Best Documentary Film award at the 71st National Film Awards for 2023 on Friday. 

The documentary film, ‘God, Vultures and Human’, is produced by Professor Chandwani and Studio Lichi, and directed by Rishiraj Agarwal. 

The film is a powerful tribute to the often-overlooked role of

Organ Transplant Coordinators (OTCs) in the emotionally challenging process of organ donation and transplantation in India.

Chandwani said, “I feel both humbled and proud to see our film God, Vultures and Human receive the National Award for Best Documentary. This recognition is a tribute to the tireless efforts of Organ Transplant

Coordinators across India and the emotional journeys they undertake. I am deeply grateful to have been associated with this cause. I hope the film continues to inspire by placing hope within grief and revealing the quiet miracle of life within the shadow of death.”

The film was premiered at the Indian Society of Organ Transplantation Conference 2024 (ISOT 2024) in Ahmedabad and has been selected for screening at several prestigious Indian and international film festivals, including the Dokubaku International Documentary Film Festival (IDFF) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

About the film

Created in collaboration with Mohan Foundation, a Chennai-based NGO dedicated to organ donation advocacy and training, the documentary offers an intimate, humanised look at the lives of OTCs. Through real-life narratives and candid visuals, it reveals how these professionals serve not only as logistical managers but also as emotional anchors—revered by some families as divine messengers and, at times, navigating resentment and grief from others.

The film delves into the immense emotional burden borne by OTCs, portraying their role as a delicate balance of compassion, resilience, and professional responsibility. From coordinating with hospitals, forensic departments, and police to counselling grieving families, the documentary captures the invisible yet vital thread they weave through the fabric of life and death.