The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the 60th National Film Awards today (May 3, 2013) at a function at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion, the President stressed upon the crucial role which the Cinema can and must play in resetting the moral compass of the nation. It is the responsibility of everyone associated with the film industry to use the powerful medium of cinema to portray our positive societal values for building a tolerant and harmonious India. He called upon the entertainment industry to be mindful and sensitive to this responsibility and take all steps to provide cinema that is morally energising.
Remembering the history of Film Industry, the President said when the technology of cinema reached the shores of India in the early 20th century, the Indian community welcomed and adopted it wholeheartedly. This medium was effectively used to strengthen the tradition of story-telling in our country. Later, as years went by, cinema evolved into a powerful medium encompassing all regions and languages of India and thus reflecting the socio-political aspirations of our people.
This release issued at 1945 hrs