11th Babul Eco Film Festival Organised at IIT Hyderabad Highlights Pastoral Communities and Rangeland Conservation
The 11th Babul Eco Film Festival was organised at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) on September 19, 2026, celebrating the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) 2026. Organised by Dr. Rashmi Singh, Assistant Professor, Department of Liberal Arts, IIT Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Babul Eco Film Festival and Babul Films Society NGO, the programme brought together films, discussions and environmental awareness activities highlighting the connections between pastoral communities, biodiversity, climate change and landscapes.
Dr. Singh is the Global Co-Chair of the Biodiversity Working Group and the South Asia Regional Support Group for IYRP 2026. Her research and documentary filmmaking focus on pastoralism, rangeland ecosystems and climate change, bringing attention to the knowledge, livelihoods and environmental relationships of pastoral communities.
The programme was inaugurated by Prof. B. S. Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad, who also delivered the keynote address. The festival featured films from India and across the world exploring rangelands, pastoral communities, livestock herding, grasslands, shepherding traditions, climate change and the changing relationships between people and nature.
The films screened at the festival and directors were:
- Planet Sheep — Germany | Marvin Entholt
- The Big Steppe — UK | Sean Lovell
- Gyur Se — India | Dr. Rashmi Singh
Bagaal — India | Dr. Rashmi Singh
By bringing together films from India and other parts of the world, the 11th Babul Eco Film Festival at IIT Hyderabad provided a platform for students and audiences to reflect on the importance of pastoral communities in a changing climate. The programme highlighted the role of research, documentary filmmaking and public engagement in raising awareness about rangeland conservation and the contribution of pastoralists to sustaining ecological and cultural diversity.