What is the Lokmanya Tilak award conferred upon PM Narendra Modi in Pune?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday received the Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Maharashtra’s Pune, on the 103rd death anniversary of freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The award, according to the organisers, honours his extraordinary leadership, which helped India move up the progress ladder. Expressing his gratitude, the Indian leader said, “This is a memorable moment for me. Lokmanya Tilak had a unique ability to identify young talents, Veer Savarkar was one such example.” He added that he will be donating the prize money to the Namami Gange project. “I want to dedicate this award to 140 crore people of the country.”

#WATCH | On being conferred with Lokmanya Tilak National Award today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, says "I have decided to donate the prize money to the Namami Gange project. I want to dedicate this award to 140 crore people of the country" pic.twitter.com/vnZxiUCEjz

— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2023

The esteemed Lokmanya Tilak National Award The Lokmanya Tilak Award was set up in 1983 and is presented by the Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust every year on 1 August to honour the memory of the freedom fighter. The award recognises individuals who have contributed to the advancement and development of the country. During the early 20th century, Lokmanya Tilak played a significant role in the fight for freedom in India. A staunch advocate of Indian self-rule (Swarajya), Bal Gangadhar Tilak was instrumental in mobilising the populace. PM Modi will become the 41st recipient of the award, which comes with a memento and citation, in appreciation for his exceptional leadership and his work promoting patriotism among citizens, according to the trust. Also read: Why Opposition thinks Sharad Pawar attending PM Narendra Modi’s felicitation event is bad optics Previous recipients Senior scientist Tessy Thomas, also referred to as India’s “missile woman,” received the Lokmanya Tilak National Award the year before. She significantly boosted the nation’s defence capabilities as the project director for the Agni-4 and Agni-5 missile systems. Others include industrialists NR Narayana Murthy and Cyrus Poonawala, former presidents Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma and Pranab Mukherjee, former prime ministers Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihar Vajpayee, and Dr Manmohan Singh, as well as engineer E Sreedharan, according to PTI. Political rivals sharing the stage This year’s event will be closely watched more so than previous ones. Not alone is a current prime minister receiving the honour; Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar will also be the chief guest and present the Indian Premier with the award. For those unversed, PM Modi’s BJP successfully caused a rift inside the NCP when Pawar’s nephew Ajit joined the NDA government earlier this month. Given the implications of Pawar congratulating Modi, some NCP leaders and allies have pushed him to pull out of the event, according to Indian Express. NCP Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan also revealed that when she pleaded with Pawar to skip the event, he reportedly said that he had invited the Prime Minister “after being persuaded by members of the Tilak Trust.” Criticism The decision to honour PM Modi has sparked a political debate. The Congress’ Pune region has questioned the trust’s choice to honour PM Modi at a time when all the opposition party has been attempting to pressure the Modi-led central government on matters like the ethnic violence in Manipur and the suspected politicisation of central investigation agencies. The move has also led to an internal conflict within the Congress, the Tilak family and the party’s general secretary for Maharashtra on the other. The NCP, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and other opposition parties in Maharashtra will protest against PM Modi today, according to Arvind Shinde, the president of the Congress’ Pune city branch. The Print quoted him as saying, “Before accepting the Lokmanya Tilak National Award, one should think about whether they have followed any of Tilak’s teachings,” he added. “I am appealing to the people of Pune. If you can sport a black flag on your house, do that, or tie a black balloon. When Manipur needs the prime minister, his coming to accept an award in Pune doesn’t suit a PM at all. So, Pune city is not going to welcome you." “INDIA representatives will carry placards saying the PM should attend the Parliament session and issue a statement on Manipur. He should also visit the state,” Congress leader Mohan Joshi said, according to Indian Express. The “unanimous” choice of the Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust to bestow the renowned award on PM Modi has also sparked rumours that Rohit Tilak may be considering jumping ship and joining the BJP, several Congress activists in Pune believe, according to The Print. In response to this, Rohit Tilak, the great-grandson of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, has clarified that “it is a non-political function." “I am not aware of any protest against the Tilak award being conferred to the Prime Minister. Also, Sharad Pawar will attend the function as the chief guest as was decided a month ago,” Indian Express quoted him as saying. He added, “Swadeshi and Rashtriya Shikshan were close to the heart of Lokmanya Tilak. The Prime Minister has lived up to the vision of Lokmanya Tilak. He has preserved and protected our cultural roots. He is trying to make India self-reliant, which Lokmanya strongly believed in and propagated during the pre-Independence days. And therefore, the PM was our choice for the award.” According to Indian Express, Rohit believes PM Modi was this year’s “unanimous choice” of the trustees because of his demand for an “atmanirbhar” (self-sufficient) nation that was in keeping with Lokmanya Tilak’s “swadeshi” concept, the government’s new National Education Policy, its pride in Indian cultural heritage, and other factors. “Lokmanya Tilak advocated all of these concepts,” he continued. It should be noted here that Tilak is praised by the BJP as a “Hindutva hero” for adding religious symbolism to the freedom struggle against the British, which increased its appeal. Other development projects to be launched After receiving the honour, PM Modi will flag off Metro trains and inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be honoured with the Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Pune today, which is presented on 1 August, the freedom fighter’s death anniversary. The organisers say it recognises the PM’s remarkable leadership, which helped India move up the progress ladder, the PIB statement said. The Prime Minister will flag off Metro trains marking the inauguration of services on completed sections of the two corridors of Pune Metro Phase I. These sections are from Phugewadi station to Civil Court station and Garware College station to Ruby Hall Clinic station, it said. The foundation stone for the project was also laid by PM Modi in 2016. The new sections will connect important places of Pune city like Shivaji Nagar, Civil Court, Pune Municipal Corporation office, Pune RTO and Pune Railway Station. The inauguration is an important step towards realising the vision of the prime minister to provide the citizens with modern and environment-friendly mass rapid urban transport systems across the country, the statement said. PM Modi will also inaugurate the Waste to Energy Plant under Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Developed at a cost of about Rs 300 crore, it will use up about 2.5 lakh MT of waste annually to produce electricity, the statement said. Moving ahead towards the mission of achieving housing for all, Prime Minister Modi will hand over more than 1,280 houses constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) by the PCMC. He will also hand over more than 2,650 PMAY houses constructed by the Pune Municipal Corporation. Further, PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone for around 1,190 PMAY houses to be constructed by the PCMC, and for more than 6,400 houses constructed by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority, the statement said. With inputs from agencies