National Film Awards to move from conference halls to India's top tourist destinations

The government has announced that the National Film Awards ceremony will now be held at India's premier tourist destinations across the country, taking the prestigious event beyond the confines of a conventional conference room and bringing it closer to the people.

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnav said the initiative draws inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and aims to integrate cinema with tourism promotion. The minister explained that when the President of India and leading artists from the film industry from across the country converge at a famous tourist destination, it will provide people with an opportunity to learn more about that location.

The upcoming National Film Awards ceremony will be held at Ekta Nagar, which has gained worldwide fame as the site of the tallest statue of Sardar Patel and is described as a very picturesque location. The minister emphasised that the presence of the President and major film personalities at such a renowned tourist destination will draw greater attention to the site.

Vaishnav said the effort is to take the National Film Awards out of a conference room and bring it to the people, and to advance this objective through the medium of tourism. He announced an open invitation to all states to submit proposals featuring their best tourism destinations with plans that include the best facilities and a 360-degree development strategy for execution. The state whose proposal is selected will host the next National Film Awards at that tourist destination.

Drawing a parallel with the Prime Minister's approach to the G20 summit, which was held across different corners of the country and in every state, the minister said the National Film Awards are now following the same path. He described this as a significant thought process aimed at connecting film and tourism. The minister said that linking cinema with tourism will benefit the tourist destination and also enable the National Film Awards to move from a conference room to a real physical destination.