Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award

Why is in news? PM congratulates Waheeda Rehman on being conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award

Union Minister Shri Anurag Thakur has announced that legendary actress Ms Waheeda Rehman will be honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2021.

Informing the decision, the Minister has said that he felt immense happiness and honour in announcing this award for her stellar contribution to Indian Cinema.

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in the field of cinema.

It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The recipient is honoured for their "outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema" and is selected by a committee consisting of eminent personalities from the Indian film industry.

The award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹1,000,000 (US$13,000).

Presented first in 1969, the award was introduced by the Government of India to commemorate Dadasaheb Phalke's contribution to Indian cinema.

Phalke (1870–1944), who is popularly known as and often regarded as "the father of Indian cinema", was an Indian filmmaker who directed India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913).

The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani, who was honoured at the 17th National Film Awards. As of 2022, there have been 52 awardees.