Resul Pookutty says he wants to help a “technically talented student” and has decided to sponsor one student every year. Pookutty, who graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, 15 years ago, will sponsor a student of the institute. The funds will come from his foundation - The Resul Pookutty Foundation. “We will give scholarship to a deserving candidate to gain knowledge about technical aspects of filmmaking.

It is an initiative to help a keen learner and it is also an effort to promote technical talent in cinema,” Pookutty, who is here for the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards, told reporters at a press conference.

Pookutty, who won the Academy Award for his work in Danny Boyle’s much acclaimed Slumdog Millionaire, says he had discussed the idea of sponsoring a student with IIFA brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan on a personal note after which he “really wanted to do it”. Appreciative of Pookutty’s initiative, Sabbas Joseph, director of Wizcraft, the IIFA organisers quipped: “May your tribe increase Resul!”