MUMBAI: Film director Tapan Sinha, who was recently conferred the One Time Award for Life Time Achievement by the Government of India, has been selected for the Dada saheb Phalke Award for the year 2006.

The award is given by the Government of India for outstanding contribution in the field of Indian cinema. The award carries a cash price of Rs 1 million (Rs 10 lakhs), a Swaran Kamal and a shawl.

Sinha’s work has won 19 National Film Awards in various categories apart from laurels in international film festivals like those in Berlin, Venice, London, Moscow, San Francisco and Locarno.

He began his film career as a sound engineer in Kolkata’s New Theatre in 1946. In 1950, he got the opportunity of working a Pinewood Studios in the UK where he spent two years. On returning to India, he turned his attention to film directing, making films in Bengali, Hindi and also Oriya.

Sinha made three films based on Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s works: Kabuliwala, Khudito Pashan and Atithi. Sinha’s films include Ankush (1954), Upahar (1955), Tonsil (1956), Louhakapat (1957), Kalomati (1957), Hansuli Banker Upakatha (1962), Sagina Mahato (1970), Banchharamer Bagan (1980), Adalat O Ekti Meye (1982), Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1991) and Shatabdir Kanya (2001).

The committee consisting of film personalities like Shyam Benegal, Gautam Ghosh, Dr. A.Nageshwar Rao, Sharmila Tagore and flute player Hari Prasad Chaurasia made the recommendation to the government.