72nd National Film Awards to be held in Gujarat; President Droupadi Murmu to present honours on September 22
The National Film Awards ceremony is set to move out of Delhi for the first time in its 72-year history. The 72nd edition of the awards will be held in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, on September 22, with President Droupadi Murmu scheduled to present the honours, officials said on Monday. The venue shift marks a departure from a long-standing tradition. The first National Awards were presented in 1954 at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi, which has hosted the ceremony on several occasions over the years. This year, the awards will instead be presented in Ekta Nagar, formerly known as Kevadia. Ekta Nagar is home to the Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Standing 597 feet tall, the monument was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018. Article 370 leads this year's winners The winners of the 72nd National Film Awards were announced in July, with Article 370 emerging as the Best Feature Film. The film's lead actor Yami Gautam was also nam...