Dr Kiran Bhat is the first Coimbatorian to bring home the Oscar Award and the eight Indian to win this most prestigious award. This evening a programme was jointly organized by the Coimbatore Chapter of the Indian Chamber Of Commerce and Industry, Rotary Club Of Coimbatore D'elite and Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO). This felicitation function was hosted at the Geedee auditorium, this evening.
41-year old, Dr Kiran Bhat was awarded the Oscar award for his technical achievements. He along with three of his colleagues are the brains behind designing and developing the ILM facial performance-capture solving system. Dr Bhat and the three were awarded the Oscar for creating this technology.
Dr Bhat is an alumnus of Stanes Anglo Indian School in Coimbatore. Former Principal of this school N Bernard, was also present for this programme. In his address, the former Principal said “I am happy to felicitate a prodigy who has completed his schooling with Stanes. Many of our students have hit the headlines, but Dr Kiran Bhat is unique.
While he was studying in our school, we knew that he would achieve great heights. Back then in class 12, Dr Bhat scored a triple centum and missed the state rank by just one mark. When he completed his schooling, we had not yet stepped into the digital era. Dr Bhat has achieved whatever he has on his own.”
This was followed by Dr Bhat addressing the audience. He received a thunderous applause when he greeted the audience by saying ‘Vanakkam’. “This is such a nice event. I am happy to be amongst my family and friends today. I am mostly interested in talking to you kids as you are the future.”
He then played a presentation for the audience giving them a peek into his work. “My work is about creating things (through technology) that are impossible to create in the physical world. I draw a lot of inspiration from nature and things around me. I once noticed a cat jump from a high wall and land on its feet so perfectly. Then I began to wonder how to re-create the same thing using technology. My job is to capture the emotions of the real character, translate them and recreate them using technology.”
About six years ago, Dr Bhat with his team of colleagues created the facial performance-capture system that was first used in Avengers for the character of Hulk. Dr Bhat told his audience that the expressions of Mark Ruffalo were captured on camera and recreated using technology for this movie. Despite spending a majority of his time in America, Dr Bhat has a neutral accent.
Also present for this felicitation programme were Vanitha Mohan, President, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore chapter, Swami Vimala from Chinmaya Mission, members of Rotary Club Of Coimbatore D'elite, JITO, representatives of the past students’ association of Stanes Anglo Indian School among others.
