NEW DELHI: Thespian Dilip Kumar, the legendary Lata Mangeshkar and veteran actress Saroja Devi will receive the Lifetime Achievement Awards to commemorate the 60th anniversary of India's Independence during the presentation of the 54th National Film Awards by President Pratibha Patil.

Tapan Sinha will receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for contribution to cinema for 2006. The Award, instituted by the Union Government, carries a cash price of Rs one million, a Swaran Kamal and a shawl.

Meanwhile, awards will be presented in 31 different categories in the feature film section and 22 categories in the non-feature film section. Three awards will also be given away for best writing on cinema.

A day after the President gives away the Awards, a festival showcasing these films will commence at the Sirifort complex in New Delhi. The films will be screened from 3 September to 12 September.

A total of 47 films will be screened during the 10-day period. Of these, 31 are feature films and 16 non-feature films.

Interestingly, the National Film Awards for 2005 were also presented early this year. This is because the process for the 53th National Awards for 2005 had got mired twice in court cases, first on the requirement of censorship and then when feature film jury member Shyamali Banerjee Deb challenged some of the awards.

From this time onwards, the prize money has been hiked five times, after President Pratibha Patil directed the government to do so during the 53rd National Awards presentation ceremony.