It was a day the Mammootty family will not forget in a hurry. Veteran actor Mammootty received the Padma Bhushan at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday. His son, actor Dulquer Salmaan, was right there in the audience to witness it. And by the end of the evening, the family had also been personally received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Dulquer later took to Instagram to sum up what the day meant to him. “An absolute privilege to meet and spend time with our Honourable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi Ji as we witnessed my father, Shri Mammootty being honoured for a lifetime of extraordinary work. A truly unforgettable day for our family,” he wrote.
The ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan
President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Padma Awards 2026 during the second Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday, June 23. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, among other dignitaries.
Mammootty received the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian honours, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Indian cinema, especially the Malayalam film industry. This year’s Padma Awards included a total of 131 recipients. Five were awarded the Padma Vibhushan, 13 received the Padma Bhushan, and 113 were given the Padma Shri.
A son in the audience
Dulquer Salmaan clapped and cheered as the Malayalam cinema legend, affectionately called Mammukka, was bestowed the country’s third-highest civilian honour at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Mammootty was accompanied by his wife Sulfath, daughter Surumi, and Dulquer along with his spouse Amal.
As Mammootty stepped up to receive the honour, he greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reciprocated with a warm smile.
The PM Modi meeting
The day had more in store for the family after the ceremony ended. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Mammootty and his family members in the evening. He shared several pictures from the meeting, including photos with Mammootty, his wife Sulfath Kutty, Dulquer Salmaan and his spouse Amal, and daughter Surumi. PM Modi posted, “Met the noted actor Mammootty and his family after the Padma ceremony earlier today.”
It was this meeting that Dulquer spoke about on Instagram, describing it as an absolute privilege and calling the entire day unforgettable for his family.