Hailing Sri Aurobindo’s life and work as reflecting the oneness and cultural pre-eminence of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the poet-philosopher’s modern thoughts, higher consciousness and uncompromising nationalism should inspire India’s leadership role in the world in greater measure.

In his address after virtually releasing a commemorative coin and postage stamp to mark the ongoing 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Aurobindo at a function hosted at the Kamban Kalaiarangam, Mr. Modi likened the country to an immortal seed which may be suppressed a little under adverse circumstances, even wither a little, but cannot die.

“India is the most refined idea of human civilisation, the most natural voice of humanity. India has a pivotal role in tackling challenges faced by the world today,” Mr. Modi said. He noted that in the life of Sri Aurobindo, who was born in Bengal but spent most of his life in Gujarat and Puducherry, one could get the fundamental philosophy of India’s soul and its development journey. The poet-philosopher had left an imprint wherever he went and inspired generations, Mr. Modi said.

Sri Aurobindo, along with Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi, were the three icons whose lives and contributions around the same period shaped the destiny of the nation, the PM noted.