Pune: Ajit Doval Conferred Lokmanya Tilak Award; Amit Shah Hails NSA’s Role In Shaping India’s Security Doctrine

Pune: National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval was conferred the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 in Pune on Saturday, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah describing him as one of the key architects of India’s modern national security framework and crediting him for helping shape the country’s strong foreign and internal security policies.

The award was presented by Shah at the annual function organised by the Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust on the 106th death anniversary of Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, Industries Minister Uday Samant, Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, Minister of State Madhuri Misal, BJP Maharashtra president Ravindra Chavan and several other dignitaries attended the ceremony.

Accepting the award, Doval said he was humbled by the honour and paid tribute to Lokmanya Tilak, calling him one of the greatest architects of India’s freedom movement. He said Tilak inspired generations to fight for self-rule at a time when very few had the courage to raise their voices against British rule.

Doval said Tilak’s vision remained relevant even today and urged people to think about the kind of India the freedom fighter had imagined. Referring to present-day challenges, he said India faces threats from both within and outside the country and stressed that national security must always remain the nation’s highest priority.

“In our line of work, we classify what is vital, essential and desirable. National security is vital. Everything else becomes secondary when the country’s security is at stake,” Doval said.

He also recalled his childhood memories of Pune, saying he had lived in the city for nearly one-and-a-half years after his father was posted here. He said his first introduction to Lokmanya Tilak came through a school teacher in Pune when he was only five years old.

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, Doval said he had personally witnessed their commitment towards the nation. “Our role is limited, but what they have done and continue to do will take India much further,” he said.

In his address, Amit Shah said Lokmanya Tilak transformed India’s freedom movement by giving it the slogan, “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it.” He said Tilak combined political awakening with cultural nationalism through public Ganeshotsav and Shiv Jayanti celebrations and laid the foundation for India’s future.

Shah also paid tributes to Anna Bhau Sathe on his birth anniversary and urged young people to read Tilak’s Gita Rahasya, saying its teachings remain relevant even today.

Speaking about Doval, Shah said he had known the NSA since his days as Gujarat’s home minister. He recalled consulting Doval after serial bomb blasts in Gujarat and said the advice provided by him helped investigators solve multiple terror cases.

Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first major appointment after taking office in 2014 was naming Doval as National Security Adviser. He said Doval played a major role in strengthening India’s internal security architecture, improving the country’s foreign policy and implementing key national security decisions.

“Whenever the history of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure is written, Ajit Doval’s contribution will always be remembered,” Shah said, adding that Doval had helped build a strong security framework for the country.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the occasion as a rare moment where “one Chanakya of national security” was being honoured by “the Chanakya of national politics”. He said Doval had transformed India’s security doctrine by promoting proactive deterrence and helping build a stronger national security strategy after becoming NSA in 2014.

Fadnavis said India was no longer a country that merely tolerated attacks but one capable of responding decisively. He also praised Doval’s humility despite his decades of service.

Earlier, Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust president Rohit Tilak said the award honours individuals who have brought pride to the nation. He said Doval had spent his life working silently to protect India without seeking recognition. Rohit Tilak also drew parallels between Lokmanya Tilak’s secret network during the freedom struggle and the importance of intelligence operations in safeguarding the country today.

Protests mark Shah’s Pune visit

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit also witnessed political protests across Pune. Congress workers staged a demonstration near City Pride Chowk, raising slogans against the BJP-led Centre and holding placards demanding accountability over the Delhi Police’s alleged action against students protesting the alleged NEET paper leak at Jantar Mantar.

Pune City Congress (East) president Prashant Jagtap said the protest was directed at Shah in his capacity as Union home minister and not against the Lokmanya Tilak National Award or its recipient Ajit Doval. He also alleged that several Congress workers had been detained before the protest.

Meanwhile, BJP workers organised a counter-demonstration at Seven Loves Chowk, praising Shah’s leadership and highlighting his role in decisions such as the abrogation of Article 370, anti-Naxal operations and criminal law reforms. Heavy police security was deployed across the city to prevent any law-and-order issues.

Why Doval was chosen?

The Lokmanya Tilak National Award is presented every year on August 1 by the Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the nation.

Doval was selected for the 2026 award for his decades-long contribution to national security, intelligence operations, counter-terrorism efforts and strategic policymaking. A former Indian Police Service officer, he has served as National Security Adviser since 2014, making him the country’s longest-serving NSA. He has played a key role in shaping India’s national security strategy and advising the government on major security and foreign policy decisions.

(With Inputs From Ankit Shukla)