Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to freedom fighters Chandra Shekhar Azad and Bal Gangadhar Tilak on their birth anniversaries on Sunday, saying their contribution to the freedom struggle will always inspire the people of the country.

"Salutations to the great son of the country, Chandrashekhar Azad, on his birth anniversary. The story of his sacrifice to protect the motherland will always inspire the people of the country," Modi said in a tweet in Hindi.

In another tweet in Hindi, he said, "Salutations to Lokmanya Tilak, the immortal fighter of the country who shook the foundations of foreign rule with the demand of 'purna swaraj', on his birth anniversary. The story of his courage, struggles and dedication in the freedom movement will always inspire the people of the country." Born in Uttar Pradesh in 1906, Azad ran a revolutionary network and had pledged to never get caught by the British. He took his own life during an encounter with the police in 1931, staying true to his resolve to remain 'azad' (free).

Tilak, born in 1856, was among the first leaders with a pan-India appeal to have emerged in the freedom movement.