MUMBAI: indiantelevision.com and The Indian Telly Awards founder Anil Wanvari has been authorised by The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences to collate entries from India for the prestigious Sir Peter Ustinov TV Scriptwriting Award for 2003.
The award will be presented to a novice TV scriptwriter, who is under 30 years of age and resides outside the US. It is mandatory for applicants to write a half-hour to one-hour English language drama for a family audience. The deadline for entries is 1 September, 2003.
The winner will receive US $2,500 as prize, a trip to the International Emmy Awards Gala, New York, in November, and the opportunity to consult with an established television writer as mentor.
The scriptwriting award was instituted by the International Council of NATAS (National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences) Foundation five years ago. Created to expand the exchange of ideas, information, and professional expertise among television executives internationally, the foundation tries to enhance industry contacts between individuals and television organisations.
The five previous winners of the award include Tatyana Murzakova of Russia for Smile of the King, Glenn Weller of Australia for Beautiful Music, Sylke Rene Meyer of Germany for Who is Anna Walentynowicz?, Colm Maher of Ireland for True Story and Howard Hunt of England for Lie of the Land.
Wanvari says, "This is the first time that the international academy is taking active interest in recognising Indian TV scriptwriting talent. I hope many young Indian TV scriptwriters will take up the challenge and send in their entries in the next 10 days so that we can dispatch them to New York to meet the entry deadline of 1 September."
Interested candidates can send in their queries about the Sir Peter Ustinov TV Scriptwriting Awards and entries via email to:
anil@indiantelevision.com or televisiont@yahoo.com
Alternatively, you may log on to http://www.indiantelevision.com and download the forms from the site, complete them and send them along with two copies of their script to:
Indian Television Dot Com Pvt Ltd, 
126-127, Kartik Complex, 
New Link Road, 
Andheri (W), 
Mumbai 400 053. 
In case of queries call Vishal Gurnani on 
+91-22-26730659/ 60/ 0969.