President Droupadi Murmu is presenting the 72nd National Film Awards this evening at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat. Instituted in 1954, these awards represent India’s highest cinematic honours, recognizing artistic and technical excellence across various categories, namely Feature, Non-Feature, and Writing on Cinema.

In his address, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw congratulated all the award winners and acknowledged the contribution of technicians, cinematographers and other members working behind the scenes. He also congratulated the winner of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024, Anant Nag, and appreciated his contribution to the film world spanning more than five decades. The Minister said that the idea of taking the National Film Awards to different tourist destinations draws inspiration from India’s G20 presidency, when more than 200 meetings were held in over 60 cities across the country. Mr Vaishnaw invited all States and Union Territories to identify an important tourist destination in their respective regions so that they can host a future edition of the National Film Awards.