Hyderabad: Anjani Kumar, a wild life photographer from Hyderabad , got the national award at NiF (Nature in Focus) Photography Awards 2018. He is the first person from Telugu states to receive this award so far.
The fifth edition of the wild life photography NiF was held in Bengaluru during September 7th to 9th. The event included talks, presentations by globally renowned photographers, filmmakers and conservation/research scholars followed by award ceremony.
Several awards were given to the selected photographers under categories Animal Portraits and Behavior, Wildscape and Animals in Habitat, Conservation Issues, Creative Nature Photography, Humor & Wildlife and Young Photographer.
Nature in Focus is Asia’s premier nature and wildlife festival and a platform for passionate nature and wildlife photographers to showcase their work. The annual NiF Photography Awards seeks to identify and award photographers whose compositions present a sense of wonder and empathy with nature’s biodiversity. Very simply, NiF aims to do what its name suggests: Put nature in focus.
Responding passionately to the development, Anjani Kumar, said, “My aim of photography is to project the beauty of the wildlife and nature. I want my images to inspire and bring people closer to nature. My images should help in education, spreading awareness about the endangered and very elusive species like the fishing cat and help in conservation of such species.”
The jury of the awards received 5200 entries across India. About 20 awards were given away besides Runners and 
Special mentions in each category.
The winners are chosed by a 5-member jury comprising of renowned wildlife photographer Dhritiman Mukherjee, conservation scientist Divya Mudappa, wildlife filmmaker Saravana kumar Salem, wildlife photographer Giri Cavale and award-winning wildlife photographer Jayaprakash Bojan. The jury curator is Nature in Focus co-founder, Kalyan Varma, a wildlife photographer, filmmaker and naturalist.
Kalyan Varma – Jury Curator Wildlife Photographer, one of the founders of Nature in Focus stated, “The winning image is not just of one of the rarest species of cats in India, but also captured with its habitat. Using the latest in technology, Anjani was able to photograph what we think is one of the best images of fishing cat in the world.”
Nature In Focus is an organisation working on Wildlife and conservation related aspects, NIF is headed by Mr.Kalyan Verma , Kalyan Varma is a wildlife photographer, filmmaker, naturalist and explorer specializing in environmental issues in India. He freelances with many of the world’s leading magazines, environmental NGOs and 
television channels like National Geographic and BBC. He is one of the founders of Nature in Focus.
Acer, Adobe and Wildcraft were sponsors of the event.
Category winners will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a guided safari tour to a national park of choice (Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Ranthambore, Tadoba and Corbett only) courtesy of Nature Wanderers, while category runners-up will get a cash prize of Rs. 25,000.
An additional cash prize of Rs. 50,000 and a trip to the Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya with Notch Bush Safaris, courtesy of Nature Wanderers, await the ‘NiF Photographer of the Year.’ All winners and runners-up are also entitled to a certificate, a winner’s trophy, a camera bag from Wildcraft and goodies from Wulfproand Fenix.