New Delhi |Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tributes to B R Ambedkar on his death anniversary, saying he dedicated his life to the welfare of the exploited and deprived.

Besides being the architect of the Constitution, he was an immortal champion of social harmony, Modi said of Ambedkar, who came from a Dalit family and rose to become one of the most important figures in Indian politics with his championing of the cause of the underprivileged.

Recognition of his ideas has grown over the years since his demise in 1956 as leaders, especially those with a Dalit background, have rallied Scheduled Castes, an influential voting bloc, and other weaker sections around Ambedkar's push for education, constitutional agitation and consolidation for their empowerment.