Tapan Sinha is a very highly respected film director whose works have won 19 National Film Awards in various categories. His films have also won laurels in International Film Festivals of Berlin, Venice, London, Moscow, San Francisco, Locarno, Cork Festival in Ireland Kampuchea and Seoul. His films include Ankhush, Ek Doctor Ki Maut and Kabuliwala.

I saw one of his movies (Bancharer Bagan) about 25 years back and some of the dialogues are fresh in my mind. Though my Bengali was so so then, the movie made a huge impact on me.

Mr. Sinha, 84, who has won 19 national film awards in various categories apart from winning laurels in various international film festivals, will be given the Swarna Kamal, a cash prize of Rs.10 lakh and a shawl by President Pratibha Patil at a function, the date of which is yet to be announced.

Mr. Sinha, who started his career as a sound engineer in Kolkatas New Theatre in 1946, has directed well-known films such as 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