President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tributes to Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on his 128th birth anniversary.

On the occasion, the President, accompanied by Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and PM Modi, offered floral tributes to Dr Ambedkar’s statue on the Parliament House Lawns in New Delhi.

In his message to the nation, the President hailed Dr Ambedkar as an outstanding leader of the country’s freedom struggle and a staunch crusader for the rights of the downtrodden.

“Homage to Dr B.R. Ambedkar on his birth anniversary. An icon of our nation, and Chief Architect of the Constitution, Dr Ambedkar waged a life-long struggle for a modern India free of caste and other prejudices, ensuring equal rights for women and weaker sections,” the President wrote in a tweet.

President Kovind paid floral tributes to Babasaheb Dr B.R. Ambedkar on his birth anniversary at Parliament House Lawns, New Delhi. #AmbedkarJayanti pic.twitter.com/69kkIREbT9

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) April 14, 2019

Both Vice-President Naidu and PM Modi also paid their respects to the icon of the weaker sections of the society.

In a series of tweets, V-P Naidu said that Dr Ambedkar left an “indelible footprint on the sands of contemporary Indian history”.

“Remembering Bharat Ratna Shri Baba Saheb Dr. B.R. #Ambedkar,the father of our Constitution on his Jayanti today. He left an indelible footprint on the sands of contemporary Indian history. A social reformer, legal luminary & an erudite scholar, he was a champion of people’s rights,” he wrote.

The V-P added that Babasaheb “relentlessly campaigned against social discrimination and inequalities and was a firm believer in empowerment of women through education”.

“His contribution to nation building is invaluable and his ideals will continue to inspire every Indian for all times,” he said in a tweet.

He relentlessly campaigned against social discrimination & inequalities and was a firm believer in empowerment of women through education. His contribution to nation building is invaluable and his ideals will continue to inspire every Indian for all times. #Ambedkar

— VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) April 14, 2019

In his message, PM Modi said that Dr Ambdekar was a pioneer of social justice.

“My respects to the chief architect of the Constitution and pioneer of social justice Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on his birth anniversary. Jai Bhim!” the PM tweeted along with a video showing parts of the speeches in which he hailed Babasaheb.

He relentlessly campaigned against social discrimination & inequalities and was a firm believer in empowerment of women through education. His contribution to nation building is invaluable and his ideals will continue to inspire every Indian for all times. #Ambedkar

— VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) April 14, 2019

Born on this day in 1891 at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh, Dr Ambedkar is counted among India’s greatest social reformers who relentlessly campaigned against social discrimination towards the Dalits. At the same time, he was an advocate of women’s rights.

Following India’s independence in 1947, Dr Ambedkar became the first law and justice minister. He was appointed Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee, and was appointed by the Constituent Assembly to write India’s new Constitution.

On 25 November 1949, Dr Ambedkar presented the final draft of the Indian Constitution to Dr Rajendra Prasad, who was then the president of the Constituent Assembly.