Sharad Pawar will honour Nitin Gadkari with Chintamanrao Deshmukh Award:

News Topical, Digital Desk : Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) chief Sharad Pawar will confer the Chintamanrao Deshmukh National Award on Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari for his contribution to public service next week. Organised by Pune-based NGO Sarhad, the award will be presented at a function at New Maharashtra Sadan here on July 29.

Pawar, a former Union minister, will present the award to Gadkari, the NGO said in a statement issued here. Deshmukh, a native of Maharashtra, was the first Indian to be appointed Governor of the Reserve Bank of India in 1943 and also served as Finance Minister from 1950 to 1956. The first Chintamanrao Deshmukh National Award was presented to former diplomat Dhananjay Mule.

Gadkari will be honored with this year's Lokmanya Tilak National Award

At the same time, let us tell you that Nitin Gadkari will also be awarded this year's Lokmanya Tilak National Award. It was announced on Wednesday. This award was established by the Lokmanya Tilak Memorial Trust in 1983. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honored with it in 2023, while last year this award was given to writer and Rajya Sabha member Sudha Murthy.

Fadnavis, Shinde and Ajit Pawar will attend the ceremony

Trust chairman Dr Rohit Tilak said the award ceremony will be held on August 1 on the occasion of the 105th death anniversary of freedom movement stalwart Tilak. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar and former Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde are expected to attend the ceremony.

'Gadkari laid a vast highway network across the country'

Rohit Tilak highlighted Gadkari's contribution to national infrastructure while announcing the award. He said, "Considering roads as the key to development, Gadkari has laid an extensive highway network across the country. Through the public-private partnership model, he has played a key role in strengthening India's infrastructure." The award carries a memento, a citation and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.