Pune: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Honored with 41st Lokmanya Tilak National Award
Pune, 1st July 2023: Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was bestowed with the esteemed 41st Lokmanya Tilak National Award during a ceremony held in Pune. Graciously accepting the award, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the people of Pune and Maharashtra. In his speech, the Prime Minister drew a parallel between Pune and Kashi, highlighting their significance in India.
“Kashi and Pune hold a special place in our country. These cities have been synonymous with scholarship and knowledge. In Pune and Kashi, the spirit of scholarship has attained immortality. Pune, particularly, is renowned for its urban scholarly pursuits. It is a matter of immense pride to be honored in such a manner,” stated Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Acknowledging the responsibility that comes with receiving an award, he further added, “When we receive an award, our responsibilities multiply. Being associated with the name of Lokmanya Tilak adds several folds to this responsibility. I dedicate the Lokmanya Tilak National Award to the 140 crore citizens of our country. I assure my fellow countrymen that I will tirelessly work to fulfill their hopes and expectations through my service.”
With a generous gesture, Prime Minister Modi declared, “In the spirit of this award and as a tribute to those who bear the name of Gangadhar, I dedicate the proceeds of this award to the Namami Gange project. The Ganga is our sacred river, and it symbolizes our cultural and spiritual heritage.”
Lauding the extraordinary role of Lokmanya Tilak in India’s freedom struggle, Prime Minister Modi emphasized, “The contributions of Lokmanya Tilak to India’s independence cannot be adequately expressed in words. His impact on the freedom movement was felt by all, including the revolutionary leaders who emerged during and after his time. The British themselves referred to Tilak as the Father of Indian English. He revolutionized India’s path to independence by proclaiming that self-rule is our birthright. He shattered the notion that India’s faith, culture, and identity were signs of backwardness. The Indian people recognized his greatness and bestowed upon him the title of Lokmanya.”
NCP supremo Sharad Pawar said today marks the 103rd death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak. I would like to tell Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Pune holds a different importance in the country. The whole world knows the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He was born at Shivneri in Pune district. He created Hindavi Swaraj. Many kings have become Maharajas in our country. There may have been a Mughal kingdom or a Yadava kingdom, but Shiv Chhatrapati’s kingdom was a Hindavi Swaraj; it was a kingdom of the people. It is a part of Pune’s glory that the work of creating the kingdom of the people took place in Pune.
Pawar added, “In the recent past, surgical strikes were conducted for the soldiers of this country to protect the nation. They are discussed. However, when Shaista Khan came to Lal Mahal, the first surgical strike in this country took place during the period of Shiv Chhatrapati. Many things can be said here. We came for the award given in the name of the people. In 1865, Lokmanya Tilak’s father, Gangadharpant, left Ratnagiri and came to Pune. It was not just an arrival but a kind of spark. After that, he carried it like a torch of freedom.”
He further said, “People knew that if they want to get out of British slavery, they have to awaken the common man. They realized that there was a formidable weapon for that. So he started Kesari and Maratha newspapers. Kesari means lion. Lokmanya Tilak attacked foreign invasions through journalism. He always said that there should be no pressure on journalism. He followed this role forever. Congress was born in Pune in 1885. At that time, the first convention was going to be held here. But the plague came, so the August revolution took place on the ground in Mumbai.”
He added, “Lokmanya Tilak contributed a lot to Ganesh Utsav and Shiv Jayanti celebrations. During that period, there were two eras: one was the Tilak era, and the other was the Gandhi era of Mahatma Gandhi. The country can never forget the contribution of both of them. These leaders should be role models for the new generation of the country. That is why the Tilak Award is so important. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was selected for the Lokmanya Tilak Award. In the list of those who received this award were Indira Gandhi, Khan Abdul Ghafar, Balasaheb Deoras, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr. Manmohan Singh, to name a few. We are all happy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also included in this list.”
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