The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Monday released a commemorative postage stamp on the late Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal, a Kerala Muslim leader known for his knowledge and commitment to Sufi traditions.
The stamp was released on Thangal's first death anniversary.
Dr Manmohan Singh, in his speech, described the late leader as "a great son of Kerala".
Thangal was an influential spiritual leader who led the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) for more than three decades.
"As a political leader he contributed to the first successful experiment of coalition politics in India in the form of the Congress-IUML combine," the Prime Minister said.
Dr Manmohan Singh said Thangal "personified" India's pluralism and "commitment to multi-culturalism".
He said the postage stamp was a "small token of our love and respect for a towering personality of our times".