Panaji/Mumbai, June 21: Goan filmmaker Sainath S. Uskaikar has brought laurels to Goa after his documentary Waai won the prestigious Silver Conch for Best Documentary in the National Competition at the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF).

The Silver Conch is the highest honour awarded in the National Competition section of MIFF, regarded as one of Asia’s leading festivals dedicated to documentary, short fiction and animation films.

Directed by Uskaikar and produced by acclaimed filmmaker Bharatbala under Virtual Bharat, in association with HCL Enterprise, Waai chronicles the lives of the last four Waai singers in India. The singers belong to a Muslim nomadic community from Kutch, Gujarat, and the documentary captures their efforts to preserve and pass on their unique musical tradition to future generations before it disappears.

The latest recognition adds to the film’s impressive festival journey. In May this year, Waai won the Best Documentary (Short) award at the New York Indian Film Festival, one of North America’s most respected platforms for Indian independent cinema.

Uskaikar is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India. His earlier short film, Wagro, was selected for the Indian Panorama section of the International Film Festival of India, earning him recognition in the national film circuit.

Founded by Bharatbala, Virtual Bharat is a Mumbai-based studio dedicated to documenting and preserving India’s diverse cultural heritage through films and digital storytelling projects.

The achievement marks another proud moment for Goa’s creative community, with Uskaikar continuing to gain national and international recognition for bringing lesser-known cultural narratives to the global stage.