NSA Ajit Doval to Receive Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026

New Delhi, Aug 2026 : National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval will be honoured with the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 at a ceremony in Pune on Saturday, marking the 106th death anniversary of freedom fighter and nationalist leader Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

The announcement was made by Dr Rohit Tilak, President of the Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust, which presents the annual award to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the nation. Doval has been selected for the honour for his distinguished role in strengthening India’s national security, counter-terrorism efforts, covert operations and border management.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will present the award to Doval at a ceremony at Maharashtra Mandal Ground in the Gultekdi area of Pune. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and other senior leaders and dignitaries are expected to attend.

Security arrangements have been strengthened in and around the venue ahead of the event. Shah and Fadnavis also arrived in Pune to participate in the award ceremony.

The Lokmanya Tilak National Award consists of a citation, a commemorative memento and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh. The honour is awarded every year to individuals whose work has made a significant contribution to the country in their respective fields.

Doval’s selection reflects his long and distinguished career in intelligence and national security. Over the years, he has been associated with several major strategic and security initiatives and operations, including Operation Black Thunder, the Doklam negotiations and the Balakot air strike.

An officer of the 1968-batch Indian Police Service from the Kerala cadre, Doval spent more than three decades in the intelligence establishment before becoming Director of the Intelligence Bureau. During his career, he served in several strategically important regions, including Mizoram, Sikkim, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. He also held assignments at Indian diplomatic missions in Islamabad and London.

Doval became India’s National Security Adviser in 2014 and has remained at the centre of the country’s strategic decision-making for more than a decade. He is currently the country’s longest-serving NSA and has played a prominent role in shaping India’s national security policies and architecture.

The award comes as recognition of his contribution to protecting India’s national interests and strengthening its security framework amid evolving regional and global challenges.

The Lokmanya Tilak National Award is named after Bal Gangadhar Tilak, one of India’s most prominent leaders of the freedom movement. The annual honour seeks to commemorate his legacy by recognising individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to national development and public life.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)