'Prioritise National Interest Over Personal Gains': NSA Ajit Doval's Message To Youth

Pune, Maharashtra: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Saturday called on India’s youth to rise above narrow personal interests and dedicate themselves fully to the nation’s progress, describing the present as a critical “window of opportunity” to build a stronger country.

Speaking after receiving the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026, instituted by the Tilak Smarak Trust, Doval said the younger generation must resolve to work solely in the national interest and set aside short-term individual gains. Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the award to him in Pune.

Doval reflected on the true meaning of freedom, cautioning young people against mistaking it for unrestricted personal liberty. “Young people today might assume that India has always been the way it is now, or they might mistake freedom for the mere liberty to do whatever one desires. But that is not what freedom truly means,” he said.

He further said, "India faces many challenges from inside as well as outside. India's development is still a threat for many powers."

He urged every Indian, particularly the youth, to study Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s vision and the spirit of nation-building he embodied. Doval highlighted the harsh conditions of Tilak’s era, marked by fear, suffering and limited voices of resistance, and noted that Tilak stood at the forefront of those who struggled and sacrificed for independence.

Sharing a personal connection with the city, Doval recalled that he first came to Pune about 76 years ago when his father was posted there with the Army. He spent a year to a year and a half in the city as a young child, attending school and visiting the Chaturshringi Temple every Tuesday with his mother. He also remembered a school assembly lecture on Tilak’s life by a Hindi teacher, which sparked his early interest in the freedom fighter.

“I could never have imagined that, 76 years later, I would return to the same city to receive an award instituted in his memory. It is truly my good fortune,” he said.

Doval expressed gratitude for the award named after Lokmanya Tilak and accepted it with humility. He also praised the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, describing the country as fortunate to have them.

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