National Film Award Winners May Not Receive Medals
RBN Web Desk: The 65th National Film Awards that were handed over on 3 May, is jumping from one controversy to another. In the latest, it seems that the winners who didn’t attend the event, after hearing that the then information and broadcasting (I&B) minister Smriti Irani and lawmaker Rajyavardhan Rathore would honour the awardees instead of President Ram Nath Kovind would now have to settle without the medal and citation.
Praveen Morchhale, whose film Walking with the Wind bagged the National Film Award in three categories, told the media that he had called the I&B ministry to inquire when they will receive the medals and citation. An official, who wished to be unnamed, reportedly told him that the ministry is yet to arrive at a decision, on whether or not to send the medals and citations to those who had boycotted the event, Morchhale added. There has been no official communication from the ministry, since after 3 May, he said.
It may be recalled that more than 60 recipients from around 120 awardees had skipped the event to protest the government’s decision.
Morchhale however clarified that they never ‘boycotted’ the event. The decided not to attend it since the President personally handed over the awards to only 11 winners. According to Morchhale, they skipped the event to protest the discrimination, and didn’t attend the ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
All National Awards, according to protocol, are handed over personally by the President.
