Veteran actor Dharmendra, celebrated comedian and actor Satish Shah, and advertising pioneer Piyush Pandey will be conferred the Padma Awards posthumously, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced on Saturday, ahead of the 77th Republic Day.
The honours recognise their exceptional contributions to Indian cinema, television, and advertising, sectors in which all three left a lasting cultural legacy.
Dharmendra, popularly known as the “He-Man” of Bollywood, passed away on November 24, 2025, at the age of 89. With a career spanning more than six decades, he featured in over 300 films and remained one of Hindi cinema’s most enduring stars. He was last seen posthumously in the war drama Ikkis, released earlier this month, directed by Sriram Raghavan.
Satish Shah, a veteran of both films and television, died on October 25, 2025, following kidney-related complications. He was 74. Shah was widely admired for his sharp comic timing and character roles, particularly in the cult television series Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, as well as films such as Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro and Kal Ho Naa Ho.
Advertising stalwart Piyush Pandey passed away on October 23, 2025. Considered one of the most influential creative voices in Indian advertising, Pandey was behind some of the country’s most iconic campaigns, including ‘Humara Bajaj’, the ‘Do Boond Zindagi Ki’ polio awareness initiative, and the 2014 election slogan ‘Abki Baar, Modi Sarkar’. He also shaped brand narratives for companies such as Cadbury and Fevicol.
The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honours and are conferred for distinguished service across various fields. The awards will be formally presented by the President of India at a ceremonial function later this year.
