Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh marked the 14th death anniversary of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on 14 August 2024 with emotional tributes on social media, sharing personal memories that offered a rare window into the family's enduring grief and love.

Genelia's Heartfelt Tribute

Genelia shared a touching anecdote about a conversation between her sons, Riaan and Rahyl, and their father, Riteish. She revealed that the boys often tell Riteish, 'My Baba is the bestest.' Riteish's response, she wrote, is characteristically warm: 'You never met my Baba. He beats your Baba hands down.'

Genelia concluded her note with a line that captured the family's quiet longing: 'We wish they met you,' expressing how deeply she wishes her sons could have known their grandfather. She also shared a video of Riteish walking alongside Riaan and Rahyl, the three of them folding their hands in respectful tribute.

Riteish's Emotional Post

Riteish took to Instagram to share a cherished throwback photograph of himself with his father, capturing a moment of shared laughter. He accompanied it with a note written in Marathi: 'Tumhala jaoon 14 varsh jhaali. Maajhi vanvaas kaahi sampla naahi' — which translates to, 'It has been 14 years since you left, but my exile still hasn't ended.'

The line, raw and unguarded, reflects how profoundly the loss of Vilasrao Deshmukh continues to shape his son's life, even more than a decade later.

Who Was Vilasrao Deshmukh

Vilasrao Deshmukh served as the 14th Chief Minister of Maharashtra across two terms — first from 1999 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2008. He subsequently joined the Union Cabinet, holding portfolios for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences.

In 2011, he was diagnosed with cirrhosis. By August 2012, his health had deteriorated significantly; he was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai, where doctors diagnosed him with liver and kidney failure. He was airlifted to Chennai for a liver transplant, but his condition worsened. He passed away on 14 August 2012, reportedly due to multiple organ failure.

A Legacy Remembered Through Family

The tributes from both Riteish and Genelia underscore how Vilasrao Deshmukh's memory remains a living presence in the family — not as a political figure, but as a father and grandfather whose absence is still felt. For Riaan and Rahyl, who never knew their grandfather, these annual remembrances are the closest they come to a man their father holds above all others.

As the family marks another anniversary, the conversation between a father and his sons — about who is truly the 'best Baba' — speaks to a grief that time has not fully healed.