Dadasaheb Phalke Award: History, Winners List, Significance and Important Facts
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest national honour presented by the Government of India for outstanding and significant contribution to Indian cinema. The award is named after Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke, one of the pioneers of Indian cinema.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was instituted in 1969 to commemorate the birth centenary of Dadasaheb Phalke. The first recipient was legendary actress Devika Rani. The award is presented during the National Film Awards ceremony and recognises distinguished and long-term contributions to Indian cinema.
What is the Dadasaheb Phalke Award?
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is a national-level honour given to an individual for a distinguished and long-term contribution to Indian cinema. It is not limited to acting and may recognise individuals who have made significant contributions in different areas of filmmaking.
Over the years, the award has been presented to actors, actresses, directors, producers, music composers, lyricists, playback singers, cinematographers and other important film personalities.
The purpose of the award is to recognise personalities who have made a lasting contribution to the artistic, cultural and creative development of Indian cinema.
Who Was Dadasaheb Phalke?
Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke, was one of the pioneers of Indian cinema. He is regarded as one of the early and important pioneers of Indian feature filmmaking.
In 1913, he produced and directed Raja Harishchandra, which is generally recognised as India's first full-length feature film. In recognition of his pioneering contribution to Indian cinema, the Government of India instituted the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in his name.
Establishment of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was established in 1969, which also marked the birth centenary of Dadasaheb Phalke.
Devika Rani became the first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Since then, the honour has been presented to distinguished personalities who have made significant contributions to Indian cinema.
Recent Dadasaheb Phalke Award Recipients
The recent recipients of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award are:
| Award Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Amitabh Bachchan |
| 2019 | Rajinikanth |
| 2020 | Asha Parekh |
| 2021 | Waheeda Rehman |
| 2022 | Mithun Chakraborty |
| 2023 | Mohanlal |
Mohanlal was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2023. He received the honour on 23 September 2025 at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony in New Delhi. The award was presented by President Droupadi Murmu.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2022 was given to Mithun Chakraborty, who received the honour at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony on 8 October 2024.
List of Dadasaheb Phalke Award Recipients: 1969 to 2023
The following table lists the recipients according to the award year:
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 1969 | Devika Rani |
| 1970 | B. N. Sircar |
| 1971 | Prithviraj Kapoor |
| 1972 | Pankaj Mullick |
| 1973 | Ruby Myers (Sulochana) |
| 1974 | B. N. Reddy |
| 1975 | Dhiren Ganguly |
| 1976 | Kanan Devi |
| 1977 | Nitin Bose |
| 1978 | Rai Chand Boral |
| 1979 | Sohrab Modi |
| 1980 | Paidi Jairaj |
| 1981 | Naushad |
| 1982 | L. V. Prasad |
| 1983 | Durga Khote |
| 1984 | Satyajit Ray |
| 1985 | V. Shantaram |
| 1986 | B. Nagi Reddy |
| 1987 | Raj Kapoor |
| 1988 | Ashok Kumar |
| 1989 | Lata Mangeshkar |
| 1990 | Akkineni Nageswara Rao |
| 1991 | Bhalji Pendharkar |
| 1992 | Bhupen Hazarika |
| 1993 | Majrooh Sultanpuri |
| 1994 | Dilip Kumar |
| 1995 | Raj Kumar |
| 1996 | Sivaji Ganesan |
| 1997 | Kavi Pradeep |
| 1998 | B. R. Chopra |
| 1999 | Hrishikesh Mukherjee |
| 2000 | Asha Bhosle |
| 2001 | Yash Chopra |
| 2002 | Dev Anand |
| 2003 | Mrinal Sen |
| 2004 | Adoor Gopalakrishnan |
| 2005 | Shyam Benegal |
| 2006 | Tapan Sinha |
| 2007 | Manna Dey |
| 2008 | V. K. Murthy |
| 2009 | D. Ramanaidu |
| 2010 | K. Balachander |
| 2011 | Soumitra Chatterjee |
| 2012 | Pran |
| 2013 | Gulzar |
| 2014 | Shashi Kapoor |
| 2015 | Manoj Kumar |
| 2016 | K. Viswanath |
| 2017 | Vinod Khanna |
| 2018 | Amitabh Bachchan |
| 2019 | Rajinikanth |
| 2020 | Asha Parekh |
| 2021 | Waheeda Rehman |
| 2022 | Mithun Chakraborty |
| 2023 | Mohanlal |
Note: The year in the table refers to the award year. In several cases, the award was physically presented during a National Film Awards ceremony held in a subsequent year.
Major Recipients of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The list of Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipients includes many legendary personalities from different periods and regional film industries of India.
Notable recipients include Satyajit Ray, Raj Kapoor, Lata Mangeshkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Shyam Benegal, Gulzar, Rajinikanth, Asha Bhosle, Waheeda Rehman, Mithun Chakraborty and Mohanlal, among many others.
The list represents personalities associated with different Indian languages and regional film industries, reflecting the linguistic and cultural diversity of Indian cinema.
Selection Process of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award is selected on the basis of recommendations made by a Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee constituted by the Government of India.
The committee includes eminent personalities associated with the Indian film industry. It considers the candidate's long-term and significant contribution to Indian cinema while making its recommendation.
The Government of India subsequently makes the official announcement regarding the recipient.
What is Given with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award?
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award consists of a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus), a shawl and a cash prize. According to the official award details, the cash prize is ₹15 lakh.
Significance of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award provides national recognition for long-term contributions to Indian cinema. It honours personalities who have contributed to the artistic, cultural, technological and creative development of the Indian film industry.
The award also highlights India's rich cinematic heritage and the contributions of different generations of artists and film professionals.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award vs National Film Awards
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award primarily recognises an individual's long-term and significant contribution to Indian cinema, whereas the National Film Awards recognise excellence in different categories involving films, performances and technical achievements.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is presented during the National Film Awards ceremony. However, the two have different purposes and award categories.
Important Facts
- The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was established in 1969.
- It is named after Dhundiraj Govind Phalke.
- Devika Rani was the first recipient.
- Dadasaheb Phalke made Raja Harishchandra in 1913.
- The award recognises long-term and significant contribution to Indian cinema.
- 2020: Asha Parekh
- 2021: Waheeda Rehman
- 2022: Mithun Chakraborty
- 2023: Mohanlal
- Mohanlal received the 2023 award on 23 September 2025 at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony.
- The award includes a Swarna Kamal, shawl and cash prize.
- The official award details specify a cash prize of ₹15 lakh.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dadasaheb Phalke Award?
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is a major national honour presented by the Government of India for outstanding and long-term contribution to Indian cinema.
When was the Dadasaheb Phalke Award established?
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was established in 1969.
Who was the first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award?
Devika Rani was the first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Who received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2023?
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2023 was given to actor Mohanlal. He was honoured on 23 September 2025 at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony.
Who received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2022?
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2022 was given to Mithun Chakraborty.
In which field is the Dadasaheb Phalke Award given?
The award is given for significant and long-term contribution to Indian cinema.
What is included in the Dadasaheb Phalke Award?
The award includes a Swarna Kamal, a shawl and a cash prize. The official award details specify a cash prize of ₹15 lakh.
Important for Competitive Examinations
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is an important topic for students preparing for UPSC, SSC, Railway, Banking and other government competitive examinations, particularly under awards, honours and general knowledge.
Students should especially remember the year of establishment, first recipient, real name of Dadasaheb Phalke, recent recipients and major components of the award.
Conclusion
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is a prestigious national honour recognising distinguished contributions to the heritage and development of Indian cinema. Beginning with Devika Rani in 1969, the award has honoured prominent personalities associated with different periods, languages and regions of Indian cinema.
The history of the award provides an overview of the development of Indian cinema and the contributions made by generations of artists and film professionals.