NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled former deputy prime

minister Jagjivan Ram's public service on his birth anniversary on Friday as he paid tributes to the stalwart Dalit leader.

"His dedication to public service and commitment to social justice will inspire the country's every generation," Modi said on X, sharing an audio clip of his tribute to him on an earlier occasion.

Hailing from Bihar, Ram distinguished himself for his administrative skill and his role as the Union defence minister during the 1971 war against Pakistan has been lauded.

He had left the Congress in protest against the Emergency.