New Delhi, Dec 25 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tribute to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya on his 153th birth anniversary. Prime Minister Modi took to twitter for extending his wishes. "Tributes to Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya on his birth anniversary. A man ahead of his time, he devoted himself to nationalism and education," tweeted Prime Minister Modi. Respectfully addressed as 'Mahamana', he was an educationist and politician notable for his role in the independence movement and his espousal of Hindu nationalism. Malaviya is most remembered as the founder of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) at Varanasi in 1916, the largest residential university in Asia and one of the largest in the world. He also served as the Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University from 1919-1938. Malaviya had held the position of President of the Indian National Congress on four occasions, 1909, 1913, 1919 and 1932. He left congress in 1934. Yesterday, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and educationist Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya were conferred with the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna.