Veteran Bengali film director Tapan Sinha was today (July 21) selected for the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award for the year 2006.Sinha, 84, who has won 19 national film awards in various categories apart from winning laurels in various international film festivals, would be given a Swarna Kamal, cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and a shawl by the President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil at a function whose date is yet to be announced.Sinha, who started his career as a sound engineer in Kolkata's New Theatre in 1946, has directed well known films like Kabuliwala, Khudito Pashaan, Atithi, Upahar, Haatey Bazarey, Sagina Mahato, Hansuli Baker Upakatha, Adalat O Ekti Meye, Ek Doctor Ki Maut, Bancharamer Bagan and Shatabdir Kanya, among others.The noted film maker got the opportunity of working in Pinewood Studio in the UK in 1950, where he was for two years. On his return to India, he shifted his focus to film-making and went on to make films in Bengali, Hindi and also Oriya.Sinha's cinematic works are mostly down to earth depiction of the struggles of the common man and his reputation as an uncompromising film maker puts him in a class of his own.Government had recently conferred on him the "One Time Award for Life Time Achievement" award while commemorating the 60th anniversary of India's Independence. The award committee that recommended Sinha's name consisted of Shyam Benegal, Gautam Ghosh, Sharmila Tagore and renowned flute player Hari Prasad Chaurasia, among others.Tapan Sinha said he was overwhelmed at being honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Sinha, recuperating from a heart ailment, received the news from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry directly, his sister in-law said. She said though Sinha was unable to move and too weak to speak, he was overwhelmed and had expressed his 'gratitude' to the government for bestowing the greatest award of the Indian cinema on him.In his message of congratulation, West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi said ''Sinha has made a formidable contribution to the Indian cinema and made it proud. I, like all other fellow countrymen, am equally happy at the news. All felicitations to Mr Sinha.''(With inputs from PTI) ... read more »