Shri Suraj Kumar received the prestigious award in the Best Non-Feature Film category for his documentary “Piplantri: A Tale of Eco-Feminism”, which highlights important social and environmental values.

The documentary presents the inspiring story of Piplantri and explores how grief can be transformed into hope, ecology into collective responsibility, and the birth of a girl child into a celebration of life. Through a sensitive portrayal of social and environmental transformation, the film underscores the close relationship between gender equality, community participation and ecological conservation.

Shri Suraj Kumar heads his production company, Johnson-Suraj Films International. His notable directorial works include the Indo-Argentine film “Thinking of Him” (2017), based on Rabindranath Tagore’s historic visit to Argentina; “Sri Aurobindo – Beginning of a Spiritual Journey” (2022); and the web series “Vidarbha Ki Virasat – Karvat Kathi Sarees”.

The National Film Award marks another significant milestone in Shri Suraj Kumar’s distinguished career as a filmmaker committed to socially relevant and culturally meaningful cinema.

The Public Relations Society , Delhi (PRSD) congratulated Shri Suraj Kumar on receiving the prestigious National Award and expressed its appreciation for his contribution to Indian cinema and his continued efforts to highlight important social, cultural and environmental issues through filmmaking.