President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday released commemorative postage stamps on Maharashtra’s first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan and freedom fighter and social reformer Bhausaheb Hire.

Patil, while releasing the postage stamps, recalled the contributions made by the two in making Maharashtra a progressive state.

‘Yashwantrao Chavan was not just a visionary leader of Maharashtra, but a towering personality at the national level too,’ she said.

Paying her respect to Hire, Patil appreciated his contribution towards socio-economic development.