President Droupadi Murmu to embark on 3

President Droupadi Murmu will be on a three-day visit to Gujarat beginning today. She will preside over the presentation ceremony of the 72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, tomorrow. Akashvani correspondent reports that the National Film Awards, recognising achievements in Indian cinema for the year 2024, will be presented by the President tomorrow. Instituted in 1954, the National Film Awards are among the country’s highest honours for excellence in cinema. Presented annually by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the awards recognise creative and technical achievements across feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema.

The winners of the 72nd edition were announced on July 18, 2026, by the chairpersons of the three juries. The awards are divided into three main sections – Feature Films, Non-Feature Films and Best Writing on Cinema – along with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour in Indian cinema. The Feature Film section includes awards for Best Feature Film, Best Direction, acting, cinematography, music direction and costume design, among others.

The Non-Feature Film section covers documentaries, short films, animation, arts and culture films, narration or voice-over and script. The Best Writing on Cinema section recognises the best book on cinema and the best film critic. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award follows a separate process, with a specially constituted committee of eminent film personalities recommending the recipient.