New Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tributes to Mannathu Padmanabhan, the founder of the Nair Service Society, on his birth anniversary and hailed him as a visionary who believed that true progress is rooted in dignity, equality and social reform.

"On the birth anniversary of Mannathu Padmanabhan, we remember with deep reverence a towering personality whose life was dedicated to serving society," the prime minister said in a post on X.

"He was a visionary who believed that true progress is rooted in dignity, equality and social reform. His efforts in areas like health, education, women empowerment are very motivating," Modi said.

"His ideals continue to guide us towards a society that is just, compassionate and harmonious," the prime minister said.

Born in 1878, Padmanabhan started his career as a school teacher and later became a lawyer.

Realising the imminent need for reform and the upliftment of the Nair community, he formed the Society in 1914.

Padmanabhan took part in the Vaikom (1924) and Guruvayoor (1931) temple-entry Satyagrahas and the anti-untouchability agitations.