Aishwarya Rai may be swamped with accolades but her first priority is her family.

Recently she was awarded the Officer Dan Ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres (officer of the order of arts and letters. This is the second highest civilian honour given by the French government.

Ash refused to accept the award at the time set by the French government because her father was unwell, and she wanted him to be there when she receives it. She said, “Its true. I wanted my entire family, and that now means my parents brother, sister-in-law, my husband and his parents and sister and brother-in-law, to attend the function. And as you know my father has been unwell for the past one year. So I requested the French government to defer the ceremony until he was well. I wanted my father to be there for me at this important moment.”

Other recipients of this award include Hollywood hot shots like Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. There are also other Indians who were given this award. Ash says, “Shah Rukh Khan received it last year. And now me. There s only one higher French civilian honour the Legion d honour which Pa (father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan), Mr Satyajit Ray and Pandit Ravi Shankar have received. So receiving it would be a glorious moment. But please, not without my father! There was no way I was going to go into it without my father s presence.”

According to sources, Aishwarya’ father is well again and now the award ceremony may be scheduled soon. Now her parents, her brother and her hubby will be there to cheer her on!