Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2026 — Winner, Ceremony Date & Complete Winners List | SSC & UPSC Current Affairs
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2026 is India's highest honour in cinema, awarded at the National Film Awards ceremony. Know the winner, significance, selection committee, and all previous winners — key fact for SSC CGL, UPSC, and state exam GK sections.
Key Points for Quick Revision
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest honour in the field of cinema.
- Named after Dhundiraj Govind Phalke — father of Indian cinema who directed India's first full-length feature film Raja Harishchandra (1913).
- The award is presented at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
- It consists of a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh.
- The award was instituted in 1969 — first recipient was Dev Anand's contemporary Devika Rani.
- Devika Rani (1969) was the first winner — also called the First Lady of Indian Cinema.
- Recent notable winners: Asha Parekh (2022), Waheeda Rehman (2023), Mithun Chakraborty (2024).
- For SSC & UPSC: remember the award is given for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema.
- The 2026 winner and ceremony details will be announced by the Ministry of I&B — check this page for the latest update.
How This Topic is Tested in Competitive Exams
| Exam | Frequency | Approx. Marks | What Gets Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSC (CGL / CHSL / MTS) | High | 3–5 | Padma awards, Bharat Ratna, national film awards, and literary prizes appear in every SSC paper. |
| UPSC / State PCS | Medium | 3–6 | Nobel Prize, Booker Prize, and Bharat Ratna with context of awardee's contribution are tested. |
| State PCS / PSC | High | 4–7 | State governments award their own prizes; state exam papers test both central and state awards. |
| Banking (IBPS / SBI) | Medium | 2–3 | Banking and economy related awards (RBI awards, economic figures) occasionally appear. |
What to Memorize from This Topic
- Award: name, awardee, field, year — in a single row for quick recall
- Padma Awards current year: Padma Vibhushan, Bhushan, Shri recipients
- Nobel Prize winners: Prize, winner, country, reason
- National Film Awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress
- International honours to Indians: Oscars, Grammys, Booker Prize
Practice Questions
Q1. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is given for lifetime contribution to which field?
- Literature
- Indian Cinema
- Sports
- Science
Explanation: The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest honour in cinema, awarded for lifetime contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.
Q2. Who was the first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1969)?
- Lata Mangeshkar
- Nargis Dutt
- Devika Rani
- Meena Kumari
Explanation: Devika Rani, known as the 'First Lady of Indian Cinema', was the first recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969.
Q3. Dadasaheb Phalke is credited with directing India's first full-length feature film. What was its name?
- Alam Ara
- Raja Harishchandra
- Devdas
- Mughal-E-Azam
Explanation: Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (Dadasaheb Phalke) directed Raja Harishchandra in 1913 — India's first full-length silent feature film.
How to Prepare Awards & Honours for Government Exams
Build a table: Award | Winner | Category | Year. Revise this table weekly. Questions are purely factual for this category.
Padma Awards are announced in January every year. Study the list immediately — they appear in 2–3 exam sessions after announcement.
For Nobel Prize, focus not just on who won, but briefly why — UPSC and state PCS may ask the reason or the work recognized.