Pune, 01 Aug (HS): The award has taken my prestige

to a higher level, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said. He expressed happiness

that he was selected for the prestigious award.

Gadkari was honoured with the 43rd Lokmanya

Tilak National Award on Friday. The award was given at the hands of Tilak

Memorial Trust President Rohit Tilak. The award consists of a scroll of honour,

a memento and Rs 1 lakh. Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy

Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, former Union Minister Sushilkumar

Shinde, and Maharashtra’s Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant

Patil were present.

A book on awardees since 1983 was also released on

the occasion.

The nation has the capability of becoming the Vishva

Guru. The youth with technical knowledge and desire to work with confidence are

leading the nation to the dream once seen by Lokmanya Tilak, Gadkari said.

Fadnavis said that Gadkari is not only a political

leader, but is a researcher and works for development irrespective of

political affiliation.

Ajit Pawar said that Gadkari has made a great

contribution to the development of the nation by improving connectivity via roads and bridges.

Eknath Shinde said Gadkari is one of the architects

of the dream of India’s development, seen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar