Lakshadweep to get its first statue of Mahatma Gandhi; Rajnath Singh to unveil it today

Kavaratti, Oct 2: Defence minister Rajnath Singh will unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Kavaratti island in Lakshadweep on the occassion of the 152nd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The six-foot-tall bronze statue is installed in Kavaratti island, Lakshadweep.

 

 

UT administration said in a statement that this will be the first-ever statue to be unveiled in the islands to commemorate the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for India’s independence. "It is a milestone for Lakshadweep to unveil the statue of the Father of the Nation on the day of Gandhi Jayanti and dedicate it to the nation on this auspicious occasion by the Hon’ble Defence Minister," the administration said in a statement.

 

 

UT administrator Praful Patel will attend the event. It is a historic milestone for Lakshadweep, the precursor to the Gandhi Jayanti celebration started with education fests and sports competitions that began in all the islands on Sept 26, said district collector S Asker Ali in the statement.

 

 

The celebration will culminate with the ‘Lokarpan Ceremony’ of the statue, followed by a gathering for which Singh will be the chief guest. The contract for the new statue was awarded to Andhra Pradesh-based Sri Sai Baba Mega Silpasala in the second week of September. Costing Rs 8.2 lakh, it was made within 15 days.