WATCH: PM Modi receives Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Pune, shares dais with NCP chief Sharad Pawar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred with the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Pune. The award ceremony was also attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis. After receiving the award, PM Modi said, “This is a memorable moment for me.” He added, “The role of Lokmanya Tilak in India’s independence, his contribution cannot be summed up in a few incidents and words.”

Earlier today, PM Modi offered prayers at the Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Mandir in Pune. Modi has become the first serving PM to visit the temple and perform pooja, the temple trustees said.

Over the years, some serving and former presidents, former prime ministers, serving cabinet ministers, chief ministers and political leaders have had darshan of the deity that sees lakhs of devotees during the 10-day Ganeshotsav. “I pay homage to Lokmanya Tilak on his Punya Tithi. I will be in Pune today, where I will accept the Lokmanya Tilak National Award. I am indeed humbled that I have been conferred this award which is closely associated with the work of such a great personality of our history,” Modi said before kicking off his Pune visit. PM Modi will also inaugurate a slew of developmental projects in the city.

With this, PM Modi has become the 41st recipient of the award. The former recipients include dignitaries such as Shankar Dayal Sharma, Pranab Mukherjee, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Indira Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, NR Narayana Murthy, and E Sreedharan, among others. Later today, Prime Minister will also flag off metro trains and inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various development projects, the official statement from the PMO said.