Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to Bharat Ratna awardee Madan Mohan Malviya on his 158th birth anniversary and said that the late freedom fighter made “invaluable contribution” in education. “Tributes to Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Ji on his birth anniversary, who dedicated his life to the service of the country. He played an important role in the freedom movement besides making an invaluable contribution in the field of education. His scholarship and ideals will always inspire the countrymen,” he tweeted in Hindi. Born on December 25, 1861, in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) in Uttar Pradesh, Malviya played a key role in the Indian independence struggle against British rule and founded the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916. He is also remembered for his role in ending the Indian indenture system, especially in the Caribbean. Malviya breathed his last on November 12, 1946, at the age of 84. In 2014, he was posthumously conferred with Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award.
