India's NSA Doval urges youth to put national interest first

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval called on India's youth to dedicate themselves fully to nation-building, declaring that the country is at a crucial historical juncture it cannot afford to miss. Doval made the remarks on August 1 while accepting the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 in Pune, where the award was presented to him by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

In his address, Doval emphasized that personal and narrow interests must be subordinated to the national interest. He urged young people to commit themselves completely to this cause, stating that even when personal considerations arise, they should be ignored. The nation's priority, he said, must be building a stronger India. He described the current period as a rare window of opportunity in the country's history and expressed confidence that India would succeed in its mission and create a new chapter in its history.

Doval cautioned that younger generations might misunderstand the nature of the freedom they enjoy, viewing it merely as the liberty to do as they wish. He reminded the audience that this freedom was earned through sacrifice, citing the legacy of freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak, on whose death...