O Trust marks third anniversary with Dr Agashe’s ‘Together into the Twilight’

A Foundation Day event will be held on April 19 by O Trust which is also a window into the Film Festival titled ‘Together into the Twilight’ announced by Dr Agashe.

Dr. Mohan Agashe, O Trust, Ageing population

The event will commence with a talk by Dr Mohan Agashe on the topic, followed by the screening of two short films of 20 minutes, each followed by a Q and A session. (Representational Image)

Renowned actor and director, Dr Mohan Agashe and O Trust are set to examine challenges faced by the ageing population, through the focus of cinema. A Foundation Day event will be held on April 19 by O Trust which is also a window into the Film Festival titled ‘Together into the Twilight’ announced by Dr Agashe.

The Festival is all set to screen films representing the ageing population on screen. “Advancements in science and the medical industry have enabled people to live longer. This change has come with its own set of challenges not only for the older population but also for the younger population. ‘Together into the Twilight’ looks at some of these challenges faced by the ageing population through films,” said Dr Agashe.

“For O Trust, working with the ageing population is key. And so is our work with children. Poetry is at the centre of everything we do, and our senior citizens have everything to do with poetry. Oral tradition where knowledge is passed down orally from one generation to another had quite a bit to do with the transmission primarily being from elderly to grandchildren in the form of poetry, stories, chants, songs and so on. And that relationship itself is being replaced by devices. So, yes, we are seeing a big dip in that tradition which is alarming because that hadn’t declined ahead of technology. So, our efforts are to once again connect the worlds of the elderly with the youngsters with and without technology,” says O Trust’s Treasurer and Trustee Ragini Rainu, who is also an acclaimed Bhakti singer.

According to Lakshmi Krishnakumar, founder of the O Trust and a Shakespeare scholar based in Pune, their activities are several and they engage in a wide range of pursuits sparking creativity and imagination in children and adults across cultures and communities to bring about policy changes on specific matters to achieve unity in art and science disciplines. “We work to promote creative sectors, especially with a focus on poetry and visual arts, addressing areas where there are barriers to growth such as gaps in art-science disciplines and so on,” she said.

The event will commence with a talk by Dr Mohan Agashe on the topic, followed by the screening of two short films of 20 minutes, each followed by a Q and A session.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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