Pune: The nation’s youth should place the nation’s interests above personal ambitions, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval said on Saturday.
The country is at a crucial point in its history and the present generation has a unique opportunity to contribute to India’s future, he said after receiving the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 in Pune.
The responsibility of nation-building now rests with the youth, and they should be prepared to set aside narrow personal considerations for the larger good, as reported by PTI.
The award, conferred by the Tilak Smarak Trust, was presented by Union home minister Amit Shah, who heaped praise on the NSA during his address.
In his address, Doval appealed to young people to dedicate themselves fully to serving the country and remain focused on the national interest.
“Today’s youth should commit themselves completely and think that they will work only for the national interest. They should be willing to sacrifice small personal interests, and even if such considerations arise, they should ignore them,” Doval said.
India’s progress would depend on the choices made by its younger generation, he insisted, encouraging the youth to look beyond immediate gains while working towards the country’s long-term development.
The country is going through a crucial point and should make full use of the opportunity before it to emerge stronger, the NSA said.
“There is a window of opportunity in the history of our country. We cannot afford to lose it. Right now, our priority is to build the nation,” he said.
“I am confident that we will succeed in this endeavour and create a new history,” Doval added.
He reflected on the legacy of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, describing him as much more than a freedom fighter and saying his contributions also extended to social reform and philosophy.
When Pune was hit by a plague that took the life of his 21-year-old son, Tilak chose to remain in the city instead of leaving and showed his commitment towards the society, Doval recalled.
Speaking about the sacrifices made by India’s freedom fighters, he said that younger generations should understand the value of the freedoms they enjoy today.
“The youth probably think that India was always like this. Youth probably think freedom is doing whatever it feels. Freedom was not that. Those who sacrificed their lives for freedom, those who struggled for it… Lokmanya Tilak. There was pain among people…they wanted to speak. Tilak gave them the strength to do so and instilled a new ‘chetana’ (consciousness) in them,” the NSA said.
While people often speak about their rights, they should also remember the sacrifices that made those rights possible and ensure they are exercised responsibly, he added.
Tilak’s famous slogan “Swaraj is my birthright and I will take it” was intended not only as a political call but also as a message that every citizen should come up with sense of responsibility towards the nation, Doval said.
Saying that he accepted the award with humility, he also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah, saying the country was fortunate to have such leaders. Referring to Shah, Doval said he appreciated the Union minister’s clear vision and commitment to the nation and noted that he had the opportunity to work with him.