The Padma Awards 2026 ceremony was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi, where President Droupadi Murmu conferred awards to 131 recipients from various fields, including the late actor Dharmendra, who was honoured for his contribution to cinema for over six decades.
Hema Malini broke down as she accepted Dharmendra's posthumous Padma Vibhushan award, while their daughter Ahana was visibly emotional as she clapped. This is not Dharmendra's first Padma honour, as he was previously conferred with the Padma Bhushan in 2012.
Others who received the Padma Awards posthumously this year include Satish Shah, who received the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award. R Madhavan, Mammootty, Alka Yagnik, and others from the arts were also honoured this year.
Dharmendra had a career spanning over 65 years before his death on November 24 last year, days ahead of his 90th birthday. His final film, Ikkis, was released posthumously on January 1.
