Satyajit Ray was no alien to awards. Ray's virtuosity
in the art of filmmaking fetched him awards and laurels aplenty. From
Pather Panchali to Charulata, all his masterpieces bagged honors in
prestigious film festivals. As such Ray's mastery behind the camera
achieved universal recognition with accolades coming from peers and
critics alike.
The government of India took the lead in honoring Satyajit Ray with some
of the biggest awards of the land. The Padmashree was bestowed on him in
1958 followed by the Padmabhushan in 1965. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award
came his way in 1985. In 1992, a bed-ridden and terminally ill Ray was
conferred with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honor awarded by
the government of India.
International recognition too came in large measure. In 1967 Ray was the
recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award given in honor of the late
Philippines president. When the Oxford University awarded him the D.
Litt. in 1978, Ray was only the second film personality to be so honored
after Charlie Chaplin. He was awarded the Legion of Honor by the
President of France in 1987. In 1992 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences awarded Ray an honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement.
