Shiv Kunal Verma
Shiv Kunal Verma (born 1960 in Dehradun) is an Indian writer, military historian, photographer, and filmmaker. Over his career, he has produced acclaimed films on the Indian Armed Forces and authored several books, including the notable Northeast Trilogy.[1]
Born into a family with a strong legacy of public service, his grandfather served as a civil servant (IAS), and his father retired as a Major General in the Indian Army. Verma completed his schooling at The Doon School, Dehradun, and graduated from Madras Christian College.[2]
Verma began his career by opening trekking routes between Kashmir, Zanskar, and Ladakh. He briefly worked with India Today and the Associated Press before transitioning to filmmaking. Among his early works was the Project Tiger television series, which showcased India's conservation efforts.[3]
In 1992, Verma shot and produced the acclaimed docu-drama Salt of the Earth for the Indian Air Force. He followed this with a series of films on the Indian Navy and Army, including a documentary on the Kargil War. He also produced The Standard Bearers, a film on the National Defence Academy (NDA), and Making of a Warrior, which focused on the Indian Military Academy.[4]
His 2001–2002 works included Aakash Yodha, which, along with his film on the NDA, was featured on the Discovery Channel as part of the 13-film Discover India series. During the same period, he became the first cameraman to fly with aerobatic teams from both the Indian Air Force (Suryakirans) and the Royal Air Force (Red Arrows), producing a documentary on their aerobatics.[5]
Verma's other notable works include films on the War College, Mhow; the College of Defence Management, Hyderabad; and the Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas). With hundreds of hours of aerial filming experience in fighters, transport aircraft, and helicopters, he is considered one of the most experienced aerial cameramen in India.[6]
Bibliography
[edit]- Courage and Conviction
- The Long Road to Siachen [7]
- Life of an Industani: Six Degrees of Separation[8]
- 1962: The War That Wasn't
References
[edit]- ^ "Bridging the gap between history and memoir". The Hindu. February 23, 2020.
- ^ Rudrangshu Mukherjee (2020). The Great War: Indian Writings on the First World War. Penguin Books. p. 242.
- ^ "A Tribute to Project Tiger". Sanctuary Nature Foundation. April 1, 2023.
- ^ "A salute to Indian soldiers". The Hindu. March 20, 2015.
- ^ "Flight of the passionate". Business Standard. August 28, 2010.
- ^ "Inside India's aero show". Business Line. February 16, 2017.
- ^ "Kashmir's problem not an Indo-Pakistan one: Historian Shiv Kunal Verma". The Week.
- ^ "Review: Life of an Industani: Six Degrees of Separation by Shiv Kunal Verma". Hindustan Times. February 27, 2023.