More than 60 awardees are prepared to miss the National Film Awards 2018 after they were informed that the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind would stay only for a maximum of one hour at the event. It was also said that he will present only 11 awards after which Smriti Irani, the Information and Broadcasting Minister, will present the rest.
The award ceremony is to take place today at the Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi.
"In all the award ceremonies he has attended, he gives away major awards, and takes photographs with all awardees. That has been the standard practice, which has been conveyed to the organisers well in advance,” said Ashok Malik, the Press Secretary of the President.
According to reports, the President will attend the event towards the end and take photographs with awardees before leaving. Several award winners, reportedly are disappointed with the announcement and have chosen to miss the event altogether.
The artists have also penned letters to the Office of the President of India, Directorate of Film Festival, and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry seeking to resolve the issue.