Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin today honoured Bomman and Bellie the true heroes of 'The Elephant Whisperers' which won the Best Documentary Short at the 95th Oscars held on March 12th. The documentary is based on the duo who serve as caregivers of abandoned elephant calves that they nurse back to health and help grow into adults. Mementos and cash prizes of rupees one lakh each was were presented to the couple.

Kartiki Gonsalves the director of 'The Elephant Whisperers' who never mentioned Bomman and Bellie in her Oscar acceptance speech lauded the CM on Twitter. She wrote "Overjoyed and so proud to see Bomman & Bellie honoured by our honourable Chief Minister @mkstalin after ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ won the first academy award for India for an independent film at 95th Academy Awards.

Bomman and Bellie who are deeply rooted tribals of the Nilgiris who have retained their originality are inspirations by themselves. Though there is heavy media attention on them right now their major focus is not the fifteen minutes glory but their mission to tend to more elephants. The fact that Bellie who lost her husband to a tiger attack can still be compassionate towards animals deserves an Oscar by itself but most definately not the glamour and glitz kind.

 

Overjoyed and so proud to see Bomman & Bellie honoured by our honourable Chief Minister @mkstalin after ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ won the first academy award for India for an independent film at 95th Academy Awards@supriyasahuias @EarthSpectrum @TheAcademy @netflix @sikhyaent https://t.co/NbbsI9EWlp

— Kartiki Gonsalves (@EarthSpectrum) March 15, 2023