Soumitro should have got it long ago; nevertheless, it is a wise decision to confer on Soumitro.
By honouring Soumitro Indian cinema is honouring itself.
Just like in cricket as there are BOmbay lobby, Southern Lobby, and Delhi lobbies, in Indian cinema also there are lobbies primarily, Bollywood and Madras lobbies who garner the prestigious awards even without merit.
A fellow in Madras called A.Nageshwara Rao got Dadabhai Phalke award long ago who in my opinion hardly deserves it. Madras lobby thinks projected him as a hero in the movies whereas he always came across like a clown.
