Lokmanya Tilak had this unique ability to identify young talent, he said, adding that (late Hindutva ideologue) Veer Savarkar was one such example.
Tilak realised the capability of Veer Savarkar and was instrumental in his education abroad, he said.
When an award is named after Lokmanya Tilak, the responsibility increases, he said.
The PM also said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was deeply impacted by a speech of Lokmanya Tilak.
Tilak had gone to Ahmedabad to address the people. More than 40,000 people came to listen to him, he said.
"Among them was Patel, who was deeply impacted by his speech. Later, Patel later became president of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. Look at his thinking. He decided to install Tilak's bust in Ahmedabad and chose the Victoria Garden, which was made in the memory of Queen Victoria, for it," said Modi.
Patel faced lot of opposition as attempts were made to stop him, but he resolved that if Tilak's bust was not allowed to be installed in the garden, he will give up his position, the PM said.
"Finally, the statue was installed and in 1929, Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated the bust of Tilak. While living in Ahmedabad, I got the opportunity to visit the statue numerous times," he said.
Modi said one can imagine that in the times of slavery, Sardar Patel challenged the British empire for the "son of the country".
"In today's scenario, if a road named after a foreign invader is renamed after an Indian personality, some people make a hue and cry and get sleepless nights," he said.
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, India believed in its scientists and they made an Indian vaccine and Pune played a vital role in that. We are talking about 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) because we know India can do it," he said.
Modi said he has given Rs 1 lakh received with the Lokmanya Tilak National Award to Namami Gange project.
On the occasion, Pawar said the first surgical strike in India was during Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's period.
The NCP leader said the country had seen two eras: One of Tilak and another of Mahatma Gandhi.