The recent news highlights the ‘Statue of Unity’ at Kevadia in Gujarat’s Narmada district welcoming its 50 lakhth visitor since its inauguration in 2018. This incredible landmark made headlines again as it became a focal point of India’s first seaplane service, connecting Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad directly to the Statue of Unity in Kevadia. The seaplane service was inaugurated on 31st October, 2020.
About the Statue of Unity
The Pride of India, the Statue of Unity, is built in honor of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the man who united 560 princely states of pre-independent India. His contribution to the nation’s unity gives the statue its name. On 31st October, 2018, his 143rd birth anniversary, the statue was inaugurated, gaining the title of the world’s tallest statue. Standing tall at 182 meters, it surpasses China’s Spring Temple Buddha by 23 meters and doubles the height of the U.S.’s Statue of Liberty that’s 93 meters tall. In January 2020, the statue received global recognition by being included in the ‘Eight Wonders’ of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Location and Design of the Statue
The Statue of Unity find its place on the Sadhu Bet island on the Narmada river, flowing between the Satpura and the Vindhya mountain ranges. The statue is a masterpiece designed by Padma Bhushan recipient sculptor Ram V Sutar, with intricate bronze cladding work carried out by a Chinese foundry, the Jiangxi Toqine Company (JTQ).
Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel: The Iron Man of India
Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel was born on 31st October 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat. His journey was filled with remarkable achievements: he was India’s first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister; head of various Committees of the Constituent Assembly of India such as the Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, the Committee on Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas, and the Provincial Constitution Committee.
His role in unifying India earned him the title “Iron Man of India”. He integrated farmer’s causes during the Kheda Satyagraha (1918) and Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) with the national freedom movement. The women of Bardoli conferred the title ‘Sardar’ on Vallabhbhai Patel, translating to ‘a Chief or a Leader’. His call for unity resonates with India’s current ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative seeking to make India self-reliant.
He’s also known as the ‘Patron Saint of India’s Civil Servants’ for establishing the modern all-India services system, another step towards a united India. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel passed away on 15th December 1950 in Bombay. His legacy is remembered today through the impressive Statue of Unity, signifying the strength and unity of India.
