Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Ramnami Wins Best Hindi Documentary at National Film Awards
Ramnami is a documentary about a Dalit community in Central India.
The community is called the Ramnami community.
Its members show their devotion to Lord Ram by tattooing his name on their bodies.
This tradition began around 1890.
It started after a man named Parsuram Bharadwaj was stopped from entering a temple because of caste discrimination.
The documentary won the award for the best Hindi documentary at the National Film Awards.
President Droupadi Murmu gave the award to filmmaker Bharatbala Ganapathy.
The filmmaker said the award honored the community for sharing its story.
Ramnami was named the best Hindi documentary at the 72nd National Film Awards.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to filmmaker Bharatbala Ganapathy on September 22.
The documentary portrays the Ramnami community’s practice of tattooing the name of Lord Ram on their bodies.
The Ramnami movement began around 1890 after Parsuram Bharadwaj faced exclusion from a local temple.
The ceremony was held at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, near the Statue of Unity, rather than in New Delhi.
- Who
- The Ramnami community, filmmaker Bharatbala Ganapathy, and the 72nd National Film Awards organizers were involved; President Droupadi Murmu presented the award.
- What
- Ramnami won the award for best work in the Hindi documentary section.
- When
- The award ceremony was held on September 22.
- Where
- The ceremony took place at the foot of the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.
- Why
- The documentary was recognized for depicting the Ramnami community’s distinctive devotion to Lord Ram and its cultural heritage.
- Award
- Best work in the Hindi documentary section
- Film
- Ramnami
- Filmmaker
- Bharatbala Ganapathy
- Presenter
- President Droupadi Murmu
- Ceremony date
- September 22
- Ceremony location
- Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, at the foot of the Statue of Unity
- Community tradition
- Tattooing the name of Lord Ram across the body