The awards are categorized into Feature film & Non-feature film on cinema. With each section having its individual aims,to encouraging the production of films and technical excellence and social relevance, contributing to the understanding and appreciation of cultures of different regions of the country in cinematic form, thereby promoting unity and integrity of the nation.
National Film Awards Awarded for Excellence in cinematic achievements for Indian cinema. Since 2023 Presented by National Film Development Corporation.
- Ministry of Information and Broadcasting(1954–1973)
- Directorate of Film Festivals(1974–2022)
All the award winners are awarded a Medallion, a cash prize, and a certificate of merit. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award, six categories from the Feature Films section, three from the Non-Feature Films and Best Writing on Cinema sections each have been made eligible for SwarnaKamal (Golden Lotus Award), and the rest of the categories for Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus Award).
Table of Contents
National Film Awards list from 1953 to 2026
| Year | Ceremony | Date | Best Feature Film | Best Non-Feature Film |
| 1953 | 1st | 10 October 1954 | Shyamchi Aai | Mahabalipuram |
| 1954 | 2nd | 21 December 1955 | Mirza Ghalib | Spirit of the Loom |
| 1955 | 3rd | September 1956 | Pather Panchali | Magic of Mountains |
| 1956 | 4th | 28 April 1957 | Kabuliwala | Gotama The Buddha |
| 1957 | 5th | 16 April 1958 | Do Aankhen Barah Haath | A Himalayan Tapestry |
| 1958 | 6th | 28 April 1959 | Sagar Sangamey | Radha Krishna |
| 1959 | 7th | 1 May 1960 | Apur Sansar | Kathakali |
| 1960 | 8th | 31 March 1961 | Anuradha | Kangra and Kulu |
| 1961 | 9th | 21 April 1962 | Bhagini Nivedita | Rabindranath Tagore |
| 1962 | 10th | 21 April 1963 | Dada Thakur | Four Centuries Ago |
| 1963 | 11th | 25 April 1964 | Shehar Aur Sapna | Song of the Snow |
| 1964 | 12th | 31 May 1965 | Charulata | One Day |
| 1965 | 13th | 1966 | Chemmeen | Cloven Horizon |
| 1966 | 14th | 10 October 1967 | Teesri Kasam | Glimpses of West Bengal |
| 1967 | 15th | 25 November 1968 | Hatey Bazarey | India ’67 |
| 1968 | 16th | 13 February 1970 | Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne | Everest |
| 1969 | 17th | 21 November 1970 | Bhuvan Shome | Amrita Sher-Gil |
| 1970 | 18th | 1971 | Samskara | — |
| 1971 | 19th | 1 May 1972 | Seemabaddha | Bhutan |
| 1972 | 20th | 1973 | Swayamvaram | The Inner Eye |
| 1973 | 21st | October 1974 | Nirmalyam | The Flame Burns Bright |
| 1974 | 22nd | 1976 | Chorus | Man In Search of Man |
| 1975 | 23rd | 1976 | Chomana Dudi | Winged Wonderland |
| 1976 | 24th | 1977 | Mrigayaa | — |
| 1977 | 25th | 27 April 1978 | Ghatashraddha | Deshratna Rajendra Prasad |
| 1978 | 26th | April 1979 | — | Rumtek – A Monastery Wrethed |
| In A Hundred Thousand Rainbows | ||||
| 1979 | 27th | May 1980 | Shodh | — |
| 1980 | 28th | April 1981 | Akaler Shandhaney | Daldal |
| 1981 | 29th | April 1982 | Dakhal | Faces After The Storm |
| 1982 | 30th | May 1983 | Chokh | An Indian Story |
| 1983 | 31st | June 1984 | Adi Shankaracharya | The Procession |
| 1984 | 32nd | June 1985 | Damul | Music of Satyajit Ray |
| 1985 | 33rd | June 1986 | Chidambaram | Bombay: Our City |
| 1986 | 34th | September 1987 | Tabarana Kathe | The Land of Sand Dunes |
| 1987 | 35th | April 1988 | Halodhia Choraye Baodhan Khai | Bhopal: Beyond Genocide |
| 1988 | 36th | 31 May 1989 | Piravi | Kanaka Purandara |
| 1989 | 37th | May 1990 | Bagh Bahadur | Aar Koto Din |
| 1990 | 38th | 7 April 1991 | Marupakkam | Graven Image |
| 1991 | 39th | 6 May 1992 | Agantuk | Sons of Abotani: The Misings |
| 1992 | 40th | 4 May 1993 | Bhagavad Gita | In Search of Indian Theatre |
| 1993 | 41st | 30 September 1994 | Charachar | Maihar Raag |
| 1994 | 42nd | 17 July 1995 | Unishe April | Rasayatra |
| 1995 | 43rd | 6 August 1996 | Kathapurushan | Tarana |
| 1996 | 44th | 15 July 1997 | Lal Darja | Sham’s Vision |
| 1997 | 45th | 10 July 1998 | Thaayi Saheba | Jataner Jami |
| 1998 | 46th | 15 February 2000 | Samar | In The Forest Hangs a Bridge |
| 1999 | 47th | 18 September 2000 | Vanaprastham | Dui Paatan Ke Beech Mein |
| 2000 | 48th | 12 December 2001 | Shantham | Rasikpriya |
| 2001 | 49th | 13 February 2003 | Dweepa | Sonal |
| 2002 | 50th | 29 December 2003 | Mondo Meyer Upakhyan | Narayan Gangaram Surve |
| 2003 | 51st | 2 February 2005 | Shwaas | Kaya Poochhe Maya Se |
| War and Peace | ||||
| 2004 | 52nd | 21 October 2005 | Page 3 | Girni |
| 2005 | 53rd | 14 September 2007 | Kaalpurush | Riding Solo to the Top of the World |
| 2006 | 54th | 2 September 2008 | Pulijanmam | Bishar Blues |
| 2007 | 55th | 21 October 2009 | Kanchivaram | Hope Dies Last in War |
| 2008 | 56th | 20 March 2010 | Antaheen | AFSPA, 1958 |
| 2009 | 57th | 22 October 2010 | Kutty Srank | The Postman |
| Bilal | ||||
| 2010 | 58th | 9 September 2011 | Adaminte Makan Abu | Germ |
| 2011 | 59th | 3 May 2012 | Byari | And We Play On |
| Deool | ||||
| 2012 | 60th | 3 May 2013 | Paan Singh Tomar | Shepherds of Paradise |
| 2013 | 61st | 3 May 2014 | Ship of Theseus | Rangbhoomi |
| 2014 | 62nd | 3 May 2015 | Court | Tender Is the Sight |
| 2015 | 63rd | 3 May 2016 | Baahubali: The Beginning | Amdavad Ma Famous |
| 2016 | 64th | 3 May 2017 | Kaasav | Fireflies in the Abyss |
| 2017 | 65th | 3 May 2018 | Village Rockstars | — |
| 2018 | 66th | 23 December 2019 | Hellaro | Son Rise |
| The Secret Life of Frogs | ||||
| 2019 | 67th | 25 October 2021 | Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea | An Engineered Dream |
| 2020 | 68th | 30 September 2022 | Soorarai Pottru | Testimony of Ana |
| 2021 | 69th | 17 October 2023 | Rocketry: The Nambi Effect | Ek Tha Gaon |
| 2022 | 70th | 8 October 2024 | Aattam | Ayena |
| 2023 | 71st | 23 September 2025 | 12th Fail | Flowering Man |
| 2024 | 72nd | August 2026 | Article 370 | Bhangaar |
