Doordarshan Kendra Mumbai asserted its might among its peers at the recently held Doordarshan Awards 2001 by walking away with the cream of the honours.

It shared the major DD award with DDK New Delhi as the Best Kendra of the year 2001. DDK Mumbai also bagged the award for the Best TV Show Tak Dhina Dhin produced by Neena Raut, for its 200th episode. It also won the best youth programme Option, produced by Sharan Birajadar.

Held for the first time in the 42-year history of the pubcaster, the Doordarshan Awards are given for programmes produced by the regular employees of Kendras across the country termed 'inhouse productions'. Awards were also given away to employees of the public broadcaster working in any capacity other than producing programmes, that is, allied services of Doordarshan. The awards aim to select and promote in house programmes of thematic, aesthetic and technical excellence and to encourage in house talent from among regular DD staff. The award consists of a trophy and prize money of Rs 25,000 in each category.

The event to mark the awards ceremony, held at the Siri Fort auditorium in New Delhi, was produced by DDK Mumbai too. Titled Geetanjali, the show, anchored by Tom Alter and Mrinal Kulkarni featured old film songs based on the nine Indian rasas. A 40 strong troupe of artistes including Sudesh Bhosale, Suresh Wadkar and Sadhana Sargam were flown down to Delhi for the event, an official DD release says.

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