NSA Ajit Doval conferred Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 in Pune
Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the LokmanyaTilak National Award 2026 to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in Pune on Saturday, recognising his major contributions to India’s security.
Ajit Doval, 81, has served as India’s National Security Advisor since May 2014, making him the longest-serving holder of the position. He received the award for his key role in strengthening the country’s security. A 1968-batch IPS officer, Doval has handled sensitive assignments in Mizoram, Sikkim, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir. He has also worked in Indian missions in Islamabad and London, and played major roles in operations like the surgical strikes, the Balakot air strike, the Doklam resolution, and other strategic efforts.
In his speech, Amit Shah described Doval as the main architect of India’s current national security and foreign policy. “Whenever history is written, if anyone analyses internal security and external security, then clearly, for Ajit Doval ji, a golden page will have to be kept reserved; there is no doubt about this,” Shah said. He said Doval’s advice has been important in every major national security decision under Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014, helping to make India’s foreign policy stronger and more confident, with a “backbone of steel.” Shah recalled his first meeting with Doval after the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts, when then Gujarat Chief Minister Modi asked for Doval’s input. He also compared Tilak’s fearless vision of Swaraj with Doval’s excellence in keeping India strong and sovereign.
Doval accepted the award humbly and spoke about his personal connection to Pune. He recalled living in the city as a child about 76 years ago when his father served in the Army. He went to school there and first learned about Tilak from a teacher. “I could never have imagined that, 76 years later, I would return to the same city to receive an award instituted in his memory. It is truly my good fortune,” he said.
Doval urged young people to take inspiration from Tilak’s life and vision. He said that freedom is not just about doing what you want, but also means having responsibilities to society and the nation. “Every Indian, especially our youth, needs to reflect on his words, consider the vision he held for India and the spirit of nation-building he embodied,” Doval said. He emphasised putting national interests ahead of personal goals during what he called a rare opportunity for nation-building. The Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust held the event to mark the 106th death anniversary of freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, along with other senior leaders and dignitaries, attended the ceremony in Pune.
The Tilak Smarak Trust began the award in 1983. It is given every year on August 1 to people who have made important contributions to the country’s progress. Past recipients include Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Presidents and Prime Ministers such as Pranab Mukherjee, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, and Indira Gandhi.
