Veteran actor and comedian Satish Shah is set to be honoured with one of India’s highest civilian awards, the Padma Shri, today. The award will be conferred posthumously by President Droupadi Murmu at a formal ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, paying tribute to the late actor’s remarkable contribution to Indian cinema and television.
Satish Shah’s cousin opens up about the grief
In a conversation with Hindustan Times, his cousin Arvind Mamania, who will be accepting the award on his behalf, opened up about the grief that still lingers within the family. He said, “We have not yet come to terms with the shock (of his death). Seeing his wife everyday keeps reminding us of the kind of person he was. Our home was filled with laughter and smiles, now all of a sudden the happiness has vanished. It’s a big vacuum. We are looking after her (Madhu Shah, Satish’s wife) she is precious to us too.”Explaining why he was chosen to represent the late actor at the prestigious ceremony, Arvind spoke with deep emotion about his bond with Shah and the circumstances that led to this decision. He adds, “He was more like a brother to me and his wife is unable to travel due to health reasons so she could not be present at the ceremony. We wished the honour would come earlier, when he was alive but nonetheless we cannot change what has happened. My wish is that when I receive the award on his behalf, he watches us from above and blesses us. Once I’m back in Mumbai, we plan to have a small celebration in his honour.”
How did Satish Shah pass away?
Satish Shah passed away in October 2025 after suddenly collapsing at his Mumbai home during lunch. He was immediately rushed to Hinduja Hospital, where despite the best efforts of the medical team, he could not be saved. His last rites were conducted in Vile Parle, where numerous colleagues and friends from the industry gathered to pay their final respects to the beloved actor.
