Legendary actor Dilip Kumar says tears welled up in his eyes when he was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second highest civilian award, here.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday conferred the distinction on the thespian at his residence.
“Overwhelmed today by the gesture of home minister @BJPRajnathSingh who flew to Mumbai specially to present me with the #PadmaVibhushan,” Dilip Kumar posted on Twitter on Sunday.
“Health did not allow me to travel to Delhi to receive the award from the President. CM @Dev_Fadnavis and Governer Vidyasagarji too came to wish me. Tearful moment when the award was in my hands. How happy and proud my family was. Indeed Allah's mercy and blessing,” added Dilip Kumar, who turned 93 last week.
Present on the occasion were his actress-wife Saira Bano, Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Born in Peshawar, now in Pakistan, Dilip Kumar, whose real name is Yusuf Khan, entered the Indian film industry in the black-and-white era and became a name to reckon with in the 1950s and 1960s.
He is credited for films like "Aan", "Daag", "Madhumati", "Paigham", "Leader", "Ram Aur Shyam", "Devdas", "Mughal-E-Azam" and "Ganga Jamuna".
After working for about six decades, he retired from films in 1998. His last movie was "Qila".