Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tributes to Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder and former parliamentarian Syama Prasad Mookerjee on the occasion of his 117th birth anniversary.

Remembering Mookerjee, PM Modi wrote on Twitter he was remembered as a fine educationist and a stalwart who fought for India’s freedom as well as unity.

“On his Jayanti, I bow to Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Dr Mookerjee is remembered as a fine educationist, a wonderful administrator and a stalwart who fought for India’s freedom as well as unity,” PM Modi tweeted.

On his Jayanti, I bow to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee .

Dr. Mookerjee is remembered as a fine educationist, a wonderful administrator and a stalwart who fought for India’s freedom as well as unity. pic.twitter.com/vBtYKbN9S7

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 6, 2018

In another tweet, the PM shared a photograph of Mookerjee with BR Ambedkar saying they were ministerial colleagues who had “futuristic vision for India’s growth”.

“Sharing a picture of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee with Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. Both were Ministerial colleagues and had a futuristic vision for India’s growth,” he tweeted.

Sharing a picture of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee with Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. Both were Ministerial colleagues and had a futuristic vision for India’s growth. pic.twitter.com/WxyjKbyz26

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 6, 2018

Mookerjee, who founded the Jana Sangh in 1951, was also a barrister and an academician. Jana Sangh became the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980.

In his recent Mann ki Baat address too, PM Modi had remembered Mookerjee for his contributions.

“On June 23, it was the death anniversary of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. He is known for his contributions in several fields, especially education, administration and parliamentary affairs,” he had said.

“A very few people would know that he was the youngest vice-chancellor of Calcutta University. In 1937, Mookerjee invited Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore to deliver an address in Bengali at the convocation ceremony. This was the first instance when under the British rule someone had addressed the convocation in Bengali,” PM Modi added.