Life of Pi, film and the book have bagged two National Tourism Awards.
Union minister for Tourism, K Chiranjeevi announced the special award here today. Life of Pi has won four Oscar.
The film has an Indian backdrop with a boy from Pondicherry being washed away in a storm and learns to live in the unusual company of a Bengal tiger in the most unlikely places.
The ministry has given the Award recognizing the impact it has had in promoting India as a tourism destination, particularly Puducherry and Munnar in Kerala.
Chiranjeevi said that the Awards would be given to Ang Lee, who directed the film and Yann Martel, writer of the book with the same name.
Chiranjeevi, the mega star of Tollywood, hoped that this will go a long way in encouraging more and more film producers from abroad to shoot their films in India.
Every year, the Ministry of Tourism recognizes various stakeholders, including filmmakers and writers for their contribution in promoting India Tourism by conferring National Tourism Awards. (INN)