New Delhi: Veteran actor Dharmendra was posthumously honoured with the Padma Vibhushan at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, turning the prestigious national event into an emotional moment for his family and admirers. President Droupadi Murmu presented the award, which was received by Dharmendra’s wife, actor and BJP MP Hema Malini, on his behalf.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several dignitaries. Dharmendra was honoured in the field of art for his extraordinary contribution to Indian cinema. The Padma Vibhushan is India’s second highest civilian honour and is given for exceptional and distinguished service.
According to the report, Hema Malini appeared visibly emotional while receiving the award at the formal ceremony. She said Dharmendra had given Indian cinema many memorable films and that his contribution remained extraordinary. Calling the honour a moment of great pride, she described it as a recognition that was long awaited for his work in cinema and service to the nation.
The moment also moved Dharmendra’s daughter Ahana Deol, who was present at the ceremony. She was seen in tears as the honour was conferred on her father. The emotional reaction reflected the deep personal significance of the award for the Deol family, coming after the passing of one of Hindi cinema’s most loved stars.
At the ceremony, President Murmu conferred Padma awards on 66 personalities. These included 2 Padma Vibhushan, 6 Padma Bhushan and 58 Padma Shri awards. This year, a total of 131 people have been selected for Padma honours, including 5 for Padma Vibhushan, 13 for Padma Bhushan and 113 for Padma Shri.
Among those named for the Padma Vibhushan are Dharmendra in the field of art, K T Thomas in public affairs, N Rajam in art, P Narayanan in literature and education, and V S Achuthanandan in public affairs. The Padma Bhushan list includes names such as singer Alka Yagnik, Mammootty, Shibu Soren, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Uday Kotak and Piyush Pandey.
The honour for Dharmendra is being seen as a national tribute to an actor whose screen presence, warmth and body of work shaped Hindi cinema for generations. For his family, it was not just an award ceremony, but a deeply personal moment of memory, pride and loss.