Ajit Doval Receives Lokmanya Tilak National Award

The ceremony, held on the 106th death anniversary of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, served as a platform for Shah to contrast the historical nationalist fervor of the freedom movement with modern security strategies. Shah recounted a pivotal moment during his tenure as Gujarat’s Home Minister, noting that Doval’s expertise helped investigators solve 13 separate bomb blast cases across the country simultaneously. He credited this operational success as a turning point in professionalizing internal security investigations.

Reflecting on the broader political landscape, Shah suggested that India’s foreign policy has shifted from a perceived lack of resolve to what he described as a "backbone of steel" under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration. He characterized the award not as a ceremonial formality, but as a mechanism to inspire future generations to dedicate themselves to national service. By honoring Doval, Shah stated that the society is fulfilling its responsibility to recognize those who have committed their lives to the state, while simultaneously establishing a standard of excellence for others to emulate.