NSA Ajit Doval Receives Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026

Key Facts

• Recipient: Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser of India
• Date of Award: 1 August 2026
• Location: Pune, Maharashtra
• Award: Lokmanya Tilak National Award, comprising a memento, citation, and ₹1 lakh cash prize
• Event Occasion: 106th death anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak
• Presenter: Union Home Minister Amit Shah
• Ajit Doval's IPS Batch: 1968

Background & Context

The Lokmanya Tilak National Award is an annual honor given by the Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust to commemorate Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a distinguished leader in the Indian freedom movement and editor of the newspapers Kesari and The Mahratta. The award includes a memento, a citation, and a cash prize of ₹1 lakh.

Ajit Doval, a 1968-batch IPS officer, is India's longest-serving National Security Adviser. He has played critical roles in counter-terrorism operations, strategic intelligence, border security, and diplomatic handling of major incidents such as the Doklam standoff and the Balakot air strike. The National Security Adviser heads the National Security Council Secretariat and advises the Prime Minister on internal and external security matters.

Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born in 1856 and passed away in 1920. He is remembered as a pioneering leader of the Indian nationalist movement and a prominent public intellectual in western India.

Why This Matters for Exams / Exam Relevance

The award ceremony connects significant contemporary figures such as NSA Ajit Doval and Union Home Minister Amit Shah with historical nationalist icons like Lokmanya Tilak. Understanding such events is important for exams focusing on Indian polity, history, and current affairs, notably in competitive and Bengali language examinations. Questions may pertain to the contributions of Ajit Doval, details about the Lokmanya Tilak National Award, and the roles of key national security offices.

Points to Remember

• Ajit Doval received the Lokmanya Tilak National Award on 1 August 2026 in Pune, Maharashtra.
• The award marked the 106th death anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
• The award includes a memento, citation, and a cash prize of ₹1 lakh.
• Ajit Doval is from the 1968 batch of the Indian Police Service and is the longest-serving National Security Adviser of India.
• Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born in 1856 and died in 1920; he was an early leader of the Indian freedom movement and editor of Kesari and The Mahratta.
• The award was presented by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.