President Pranab Mukherjee paid homage to his predecessor Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, the fifth president of India, on his 110th birth anniversary on Wednesday.

The president and his staff placed floral tributes in front of Ahmed’s portrait in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

In his message to the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Memorial Committee, Mukherjee said: “Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was a great son of India who represented the best qualities of our tradition and civilization.

“An ardent nationalist and able administrator, Ahmed played an important role in our freedom struggle.”

Mukherjee added that the “selfless service, humanism and deep sensitivity” of the former president would “always be remembered”.

The committee orgainsed the 40th National Solidarity Day to commemorate the 110th Birth Anniversary of the former president on Wednesday.

Ahmed, who was elected president in 1974, died in office in 1977.