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Asha Parekh delighted at being the first woman to head Censor Board

Yesteryear heart-throb Asha Parekh has been appointed chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification aka the Censor Board. Paresh is likely to assume office on July 14. She is the first woman to occupy the office. She replaces film director Shakti Samanta who put in seven years in the post.

Her appointment comes at a time when the film industry is debating the necessity of having a censor board. There is also a demand that the board be made fully autonomous.

Last month, at a meeting of film-makers, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj announced that the next Censor Board chairperson will be a lady from the film industry. At the meeting, Swaraj ruled out granting full autonomy to the board.

Parekh said she is happy and delighted at her appointment to the "post of honour". Asked about her priorities, she said, "Let me first join and see the things."

Parekh, who is actively involved with the welfare of cine workers, is president of the Cine Artistes Association. She is also a trustee of the Cine Artistes Welfare Fund of India, a trust floated by the National Film Development Corporation from the earnings of the film Gandhi for the welfare of cine artistes in need of assistance.

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