"Dr Ambedkar played a big role in framing our Constitution. He was a great intellectual who freed thousands of people from slavery. Like Dr Ambedkar, Hedgewar also worked selflessly for the welfare of the country," Bhagwat said at a function to inaugurate a school premises named after Hedgewar at Bambolim near here.
Paying tributes to Ambedkar on his 60th death anniversary, Bhagwat said, "the father of constitution studied with a great difficulty and used his knowledge for the benefit of country and not for himself".
"The man after whom this school has been named was always a first class student. As a boy, he participated in the 'Vande Mataram' agitation in Nagpur, after which the British closed down all schools there," Bhagwat said, adding that Hedgewar was rusticated from school because he refused to apologise for participating in the agitation.
Union AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik, state chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar, deputy chief minister Francis D'Souza were present at the function.