Esha Gets Emotional As Hema Accepts Dharmendra's Padma Vibhushan Award: We So Deeply Wished He Was…

Actor Dharmendra was honoured with a posthumous Padma Vibhushan at the Padma Awards 2026 ceremony, where Hema Malini received the award on behalf of the late star. The emotional event at Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Ganatantra Mandap left the Deol family moved, and Esha Deol later expressed her feelings through a heartfelt Instagram post.

The Padma Awards 2026 Civil Investiture Ceremony took place on May 25 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu presented certificates to recipients, including Dharmendra, who was recognised with the Padma Vibhushan for contributions to Indian cinema spanning over four decades. Dharmendra died in 2025, only days before turning 90.

Dharmendra's Legacy

Dharmendra, born Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol in Punjab in 1935, went on to become one of Bollywood’s best-known stars. The actor featured in classics such as Sholay, Phool Aur Patthar, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Dharam Veer, Chupke Chupke and Seeta Aur Geeta, among many other films that strengthened a long and varied career.

Across personal life, Dharmendra is survived by first wife Prakash Kaur and their children Sunny, Bobby, Ajeita and Vijeta Deol, as well as grandsons Karan, Rajveer, Aaryaman and Dharam. Second wife Hema Malini and daughters Esha Deol and Ahana Deol also survive the actor, reflecting an extended family deeply connected to cinema.

Esha Deol Reacts To Dharmendra Being Honoured With Padma Vibhushan

Hema Malini attended the Padma Awards 2026 ceremony as the family’s representative and received Dharmendra’s Padma Vibhushan from President Droupadi Murmu. Ahana was seated among the guests and was seen in tears as memories of Dharmendra surfaced during the presentation, adding to the emotional weight of the occasion for the Deol family.

Esha Deol, the elder daughter of Dharmendra and Hema Malini, could not travel to Delhi for the ceremony. After the event, Esha posted several photographs from Rashtrapati Bhavan and wrote a long, emotional note. Esha described the day as both proud and painful for the family, as they accepted the honour without Dharmendra present.

Calling it a 'moment of pride and emotion', Esha wrote, "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." The words highlighted how much the family missed seeing Dharmendra receive the award personally.

In the same Instagram note, Esha explained that Hema represented the Deol family at the Padma Awards 2026 ceremony, with Ahana also attending. Esha said she “represented all the 6 of us his children, shed tears and clapped in honour of our father". Esha ended the tribute with, "A man who we love, who we cherish, who we miss & who we proudly call our papa. Forever in our hearts."

Hema shared in an interview with Hindustan Times, given before the ceremony, that Esha had wanted to attend the Padma Awards 2026 but was unable to reach Delhi due to undisclosed reasons. Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol were informed in advance that Hema would accept the Padma Vibhushan for Dharmendra, and the family prepared for an emotional day together.

Dharmendra died at home on November 24, 2025, after a prolonged period of health issues. His final screen appearance was in Ikkis, which released on January 1. The Padma Vibhushan honour at the Padma Awards 2026 therefore stood as a formal national recognition of a career and life that had already ended, deepening the sense of loss for the family.