The Padma Awards 2026 ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan turned emotional for the Deol family as legendary actor Dharmendra received the prestigious Padma Vibhushan honour posthumously for his contribution to Indian cinema. President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards on Monday evening during the Civil Investiture Ceremony, which honoured 131 distinguished personalities from fields like arts, sports, medicine, and public affairs.
Hema Malini accepted the Padma Vibhushan award on behalf of her late husband Dharmendra. Their daughter Esha Deol later shared an emotional moment from the ceremony on Instagram and touched fans with a heartfelt note dedicated to her father.
Esha posted a picture of Hema Malini receiving the honour and expressed how deeply the family missed Dharmendra during the proud occasion. She wrote, “A moment of pride A moment of emotion, How we so deeply wished he was present today dressed in a crisp white shirt and blue suit looking as handsome as always with excitement of a young boy going to receive the prestigious award.”
She further added, “Yesterday as my mother represented our family and received the award. And the youngest of us Ahana represented all the 6 of us his children & shed tears & clapped in honour of our father. A man who we love, who we cherish, who we miss & who we proudly call our papa. Forever in our hearts ♥️”
Another touching moment from the ceremony also grabbed attention online. Ahana Deol became emotional and wiped away tears while applauding proudly as Hema Malini accepted the award on Dharmendra’s behalf.
Before Dharmendra’s death, false rumours about his passing spread online on 11 November 2025. Hema Malini and Esha Deol strongly dismissed those claims and called the reports irresponsible. Dharmendra later passed away on 24 November 2025 at his Mumbai residence at the age of 89 due to age-related illness.
Dharmendra remains one of Bollywood’s greatest stars. Films like Sholay, Chupke Chupke, Satyakam, and Seeta Aur Geeta made him a timeless icon in Indian cinema. His legacy and contribution to Hindi cinema will always remain unforgettable.
