Lauds NSA’s contribution to national security
New Delhi, Aug 1: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Saturday presented the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 to National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval in Pune, describing him as one of the key architects of India’s strengthened national security framework and saying his contributions would occupy a “golden chapter” in the history of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure.
The award ceremony was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Union Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol, Sunetra Pawar and other dignitaries.
Addressing the gathering on the 106th death anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Shah said India had embarked on the path of cultural nationalism envisioned by Tilak and asserted that “no one can stop it now.”
Recalling Tilak’s famous slogan, “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it,” Shah said the freedom fighter gave a new direction to India’s independence movement by connecting the masses with the idea of Swaraj. He described Tilak as a visionary, teacher, journalist, thinker and Karmayogi whose ideals continue to inspire the country’s youth.
Shah said Tilak believed that true independence could be achieved only when governance, language, culture and religion were firmly rooted in national consciousness. He also highlighted Tilak’s contributions to education through the establishment of the New English School, the Deccan Education Society and Fergusson College.
Speaking about Doval, Shah said the National Security Advisor had rendered extraordinary service to the country over several decades and had played a decisive role in strengthening India’s internal and external security.
He said Doval, who served in the Intelligence Bureau from 1972 until becoming its Director, made significant contributions while serving in the Northeast, Sikkim, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Pakistan. Shah noted that Doval also spent six years in Pakistan during a critical period, making invaluable contributions to national security.
The Home Minister said Doval played a crucial role in strengthening the Multi Agency Centre (MAC), which he described as the backbone of India’s internal security architecture after 2019.
Shah also recalled that when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Doval assisted the Gujarat Police in investigations following the Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts, leading to the resolution of not only that case but 13 bomb blast cases across the country through a coordinated investigation.
He said Doval’s experience has significantly shaped several key decisions of the Modi Government, particularly in modernising the Armed Forces and strengthening India’s defensive and offensive capabilities over the past 12 years.
Shah said the Lokmanya Tilak National Award was not merely a recognition of an individual’s achievements but a source of inspiration for society, adding that honouring Doval would motivate citizens committed to serving the nation.
Earlier in the day, the Home Minister also paid floral tributes to the statue of Annabhau Sathe on his birth anniversary.
