Amit Shah Presents Lokmanya Tilak National Award to Ajit Doval

Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 to Ajit Doval on Saturday in Pune. The ceremony, held at the Maharashtra Mandal Ground in the Gultekdi area, coincided with the 106th death anniversary of freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The honor, conferred by the Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust, included a citation, a memento, and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh to recognize Doval's work in counter-terrorism, border security, and intelligence operations since his 2014 appointment.

During the event, Shah praised Doval as a key architect of India's modern security framework, noting that a golden page in history will be reserved for him. He credited Doval's background advice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for creating a foreign policy with a backbone of steel and recalled Doval's assistance to the Gujarat Police in resolving 13 bomb blasts following the Ahmedabad attacks. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also attended, praising Doval's transformation of the security doctrine.

In his acceptance speech, Doval emphasized that national security remains the highest priority. He urged India's youth to dedicate themselves to the national interest and ignore personal gains, stating that the country is currently in a crucial historical phase with a window of opportunity. Doval also reflected on his childhood in Pune, where he first learned about Tilak's life 76 years ago. While BJP supporters held demonstrations for Shah, Congress workers protested in the city over Delhi Police actions regarding NEET paper leak protests.