The Governor paid tributes at the Tilak Memorial Garden at Girgaum Chowpatty in south Mumbai.
The year 2016 marks the centenary of Tilak's famous slogan "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it".
Rao unfurled the Tricolour and felicitated freedom fighters Dinesh Acharya, Shankar Adivarekar and Janabai Rathod on the occasion.
Great granddaughter of Tilak - Ujjwala Mehendale, great grandson of Nana Sunkersett - Surendra Shankarshet, office bearers and trustees of 'Keshavji Naik Chawl Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal', the first Sarvjanik Ganeshotsav started by Tilak in Mumbai and the office bearers of 'Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Samiti' were also felicitated.