Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s most prestigious and
highest award in the field of cinema. The award was introduced by the Government
of India in 1969 in honor of Dadasaheb Phalke. Dadasaheb directed Raja
Harishchandra, which was India’s first full-length feature film and was
released in 1913. It was introduced to recognize the contribution of film
personalities towards the development of Indian Cinema. The annual award is
presented by the Directorate of Film Festivals at the National Film Awards
ceremony. Film personalities have presented a shawl, a Swarna kamal medallion,
and Rs 1,000,000 in cash.

Also read: Rajinikanth expresses gratitude for Dadasaheb Phalke honour

Rajnikanth will be conferred with 2021 Dadasaheb Phalke award but who was the first winner of this prestigious award. Lets know her:

First Winner of Dadasaheb Phalke Award 

Devika Rani was the first winner of the Dadasaheb Phalke
Award in 1969. She is widely regarded as the “First lady of Indian Cinema.”

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Early Life

Devika Rani was born on March 30, 1908, in Visakhapatnam
into a wealthy and educated Bengali family. She was a Film Actress, Textile
Designer & Singer known for her work in Hindi Cinema.

At the age of 9, Devika Rani went to boarding school in
London. She enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Royal
Academy of Music. She studied subjects like drama, decor design, textile, and
architecture at the RADA.

Noted scriptwriter Niranjan Pal introduced her to the
movies. He wrote scripts for many of Devika Rani’s hit films. She started her
professional career as a textile engineer.

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She met Himanshu Rai, a barrister-turned-filmmaker in
1928

She assisted in art direction and costume design for
Himanshu rai’s film A Throw of Dice in 1929.

They got married soon after and moved to Germany
for the post-production work. She was inspired by the filming method of the
German film industry and she joined Universum Film AG studio in Berlin to
pursue a filmmaking course.

Watch: Late actor Dilip Kumar receiving Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994

Acting Career

She made her acting debut with the film Karma in 1933. It
was one of the initial Hindi films that had a kissing scene. Besides acting,
she also made her singing debut by singing a song in the film.

The couple returned to India in 1934 and established a
film studio named Bombay Talkies.

She was cast opposite Ashok Kumar in the blockbuster film
Achut Kanya in 1936. These two then paired in a series of hit films and their
pair was one of the most successful pairs of Bollywood yesterdays.

Devika Rani had a glorious career spanning more than 10
years. Her films were mostly tragic romantic dramas that contained social
themes. She was greatly influenced by German actress Marlene Dietrich, her
acting style was compared to Greta Garbo.

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Retirement

After Himanshu died in 1940, took complete control over
their production house, Bombay Talkies.

Devika was an empowered woman and lived life on her
terms. She married Russian painter Svetoslav Roerich at the peak of her career
and retired from the films. The couple moved to Manali, Himachal Pradesh.
Devika Rani made a few documentaries on wildlife during her stay in Manali.
Later, they moved to Bangalore, Karnataka.

Honors & Awards

She received Padma Shri in 1958 for her contribution to
the field of arts. In 1969, she received Dadasaheb Phalke Award 1969.

Death

Devika Rani died on March 9, 1994, in Bengaluru,
Karnataka, India. She died due to the disease of bronchitis at age of 85.