Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid heartfelt homage to legendary independence fighters Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Chandra Shekhar Azad on their birth anniversaries, recalling their achievements in the country.
According to PM Modi, Bal Gangadhar Tilak was a great believer in Indian values and ethos, and his thoughts on education and women's empowerment continue to inspire many people. The Prime minister also added he was an institution builder, nurturing several high-quality institutions that have done pioneering work throughout the years.
He said, "I bow to the great Lokmanya Tilak on his Jayanti. His thoughts and principles are more relevant than ever before in the present circumstances when 130 crore Indians have decided to build an Aatmanirbhar Bharat that is economically prosperous and socially progressive."
Narendra Modi remembered revolutionary freedom fighter Chand Shekhar Azad fondly, calling him a gallant son of 'Bharat Mata' and a remarkable man.
"During the prime of his youth, he immersed himself in freeing India from the clutches of imperialism. He was also a futuristic thinker, and dreamt of a strong and just India," he said.
Associated with a string of revolutionary incidents to target the colonial British regime, Chandra Shekhar Azad had vowed never to be captured by police and remain "azad" (free).
After being surrounded by police following an encounter, he shot himself and died at the young age of 24 years in 1931.
Born in 1856, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak was a pioneering leader of the Indian freedom movement and his concept of "swaraj" (self-rule) caught people's imagination.
(with inputs from PTI)
