The Lokmanya Tilak National Award has gone to sitting Prime Ministers before. In 2026, it went to India’s National Security Advisor.
Key Facts
- National Security Advisor Ajit Doval received the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 in Pune, on 1 August 2026.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the award. The date marks the 106th death anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
- The Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust established the award in 1983. It is given every year on 1 August.
- Doval was honoured for his contributions to national security, counter-terrorism, covert operations, and border security. Cited achievements include his role in Operation Black Thunder, the Doklam negotiations, and the Balakot air strike.
- The award carries a memento, a citation, and a cash prize of ₹1 lakh.
- Doval, a 1968-batch IPS officer of the Kerala cadre and a former Intelligence Bureau chief, has served as NSA since May 2014. This makes him India’s longest-serving National Security Advisor.
Why It Matters
Past recipients of this award include Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former President Pranab Mukherjee. Former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, and Indira Gandhi have also received it. Doval’s selection places a career intelligence and security official in the same company as heads of state and government. That is a rare honour for someone who has never held elected office.
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