Sharmila Tagore is a celebrated Indian film actress known for her works in Hindi and Bengali cinema. As well as receiving multiple awards for her artistic work she has acted in the role of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. 

In 2013, she was awarded Padma Bhushan by the Government of India which is the The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India. Born the daughter of Gitindranath Tagore and related to Rabindranath Tagore. As a member of the Tagore family, Sharmila Tagore is also a distant relative of the actress Devika Rani and the painter Abanindranath Tagore (brother of Gaganendranath Tagore).

Sharmila Tagore attended St. John’s Diocesan Girls’ Higher Secondary School and Loreto Convent, Asansol and made her film debut when she was a 13-year-old schoolgirl.  After success in the film industry she never returned to school commiting herself to a career in the arts and ‘give it her all’ in order to become successful.

She began her career as an actress in Satyajit Ray’s 1959 Bengali film Apur Sansar (The World of Apu), as the ill-fated bride of the title character. She was later to appear in Shakti Samanta’s Kashmir Ki Kali in 1964 and many more including An Evening in Paris (1967).  She has to date accumulated an extensive film bibliography spanning a number of decades as well as playing roles as one of the International Competition’s Jury Members at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and leading the Indian Film Censor Board during the years 2004 to 2011.

Awards

Civilian honors

2013 – Padma Bhushan

National Film Awards

1975 – National Film Award for Best Actress — Mausam

2003 – National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress — Abar Aranye

Filmfare Awards

1970 – Filmfare Award for Best Actress — Aradhana

1998 – Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award

Anandalok Awards

2010 – Lifetime Achievement Award

Screen Awards

2002 – Lifetime Achievement Award

2014 – Sanskriti Kalashree Award, Lifetime Achievement