Ajith Kumar Awarded The Padma Bhushan, Says, "I Wish My Late Father Had Lived To…"

Popular Tamil actor Ajith Kumar made headlines for the whole of last month for his career as a racing driver. Netizens were absolutely obsessed with videos of the actor surfacing from the racing track. His fans and followers have always appreciated the superstar actor for his multifacetedness, and his fan base is not only limited to India but actually expands internationally. On the eve of Republic Day, the actor was conferred with the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honour in the country. The awardee list for the Padma Awards for 2025 was announced on January 25. Ajith is among the 19 recipients of this award. 

Through his publicist, the actor shared a heartfelt message filled with gratitude and love with his fans. In the note, he thanked all those who have deeply impacted his life and expressed his sadness that his father was not around to witness this day. Ajith started the note by thanking the country's President and Prime Minister. 

Ajith wrote, "I am deeply humbled and honoured to receive the esteemed Padma Award by the President of India. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu and the Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi for this prestigious honour. It is a privilege to be recognized at such a level and I am truly grateful for this generous acknowledgement of my contributions to our nation. At the same time, I am mindful that this recognition is not just a personal accolade but a testament to the collective efforts and support of many." 

He then went on to thank the 'motor racing fraternity' and 'the sports pistol and rifle shooting community' for the kind of support that they have extended towards him over the years. Ajith put a special mention for his family and friends who have been his 'strength' for the past years. 

The actor got melancholic and wrote, "I wish my late father had lived to see this day. Yet, I like to think he would be proud that his spirit and legacy live on in all that I do. I want to thank my mother for her unconditional love and the sacrifices that enabled me to become all that I could be."

Ajith and Shalini's love story is an absolute fan favourite, they are revered as one of the most iconic couples in the Tamil film industry and are often called absolute couple goals. 

In the letter, the actor mentioned, "To Shalini, my wife and companion of nearly 25 wonderful years: Your partnership has been a joy and cornerstone of my success. And to my children, Anoushka and Aadvik: You are my pride and the light of my life, motivating me to set an example for how to do well and live right."

Lastly, he ended the note by thanking all his fans and well-wishers for their endless love and support and also dedicated his award to them since they have motivated them for all these past years. Ajith ended the note by acknowledging the fact that it is an immense honour that has been bestowed upon him and that he will continue to do all that he does with the same passion and in the end wished everyone good luck for their respective journeys. 

In terms of work, the actor will next be seen in 'Vidaamuyarchi' directed by Magizh Thirumeni, which is slated to release on February 6. Next on, he has Adhik Ravichandran's 'Good Bad Ugly' which will be out in theatres on April 10. Earlier, his racing team 'Ajith Kumar Racing Team' made the country exceptionally proud by coming third in a 24H racing event happening in Dubai.