National Film Awards Move Out of Delhi for First Time in 72 Years, Ceremony to Take Place in Gujarat on September 22

AKD 3 min read

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President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to present the honours to the winners during her visit to Gujarat later this month. The ceremony will be held at Ekta Nagar — formerly known as Kevadia — home to the world’s tallest statue, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Statue of Unity.

The Statue of Unity, standing at 597 feet, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018. The choice of venue carries an added significance this year: filmmaker Aanand L Rai won Best Direction in the non-feature category for Statue of Unity – Ekta ka Prateek, giving the 2026 ceremony a direct connection to its new location.

The move breaks a decades-long tradition. The first National Awards were presented in 1954 at Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan, which has hosted the ceremony for most editions since. While a 1970 edition was held at the University Centenary Auditorium in Madras (now Chennai), the event has overwhelmingly been presented in the capital.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has indicated the shift marks the beginning of a wider national rollout. In a statement, the ministry said, “In a major policy initiative, it has been decided by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to hold National Film Awards in various parts of the country, taking beyond the National Capital. The ceremony at Ekta Nagar this year will bring together cinematic talent from across India, embodying the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.”

The announcement came a day after the ministry confirmed the 72nd edition would be held in Gujarat, signalling that the ceremony would henceforth rotate across different parts of the country.

According to the Narmada District Administration, a temporary venue will be constructed in the bus bay area of the Statue of Unity complex, along with the installation of a German aluminium structural dome, as well as seating and other required infrastructure. The ceremony is expected to run for approximately 75 minutes.

The Gujarat government and the Narmada district administration are jointly overseeing arrangements, including security, protocol and logistics for the arrival and departure of dignitaries in view of the President’s attendance.

The 72nd National Film Awards, which recognise films released in 2024, were announced in New Delhi in July. Article 370 won Best Feature Film, with Yami Gautam named Best Actress. Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan shared the Best Actor award.

Note: The specific NDTV article could not be fetched directly — the page returned a 403 (access denied) error when requested. The article above is written from the verified, corroborated reporting of multiple other outlets (The New Indian Express, Times of India, Hindustan Times, India Today, Mathrubhumi, The Print, Bollywood Hungama, and The Hollywood Reporter India) covering the same news story.