Statue of Unity

Not to be confused with Statue of Union.

Statue of Unity
Map
21°50′17″N 73°43′09″E / 21.8380°N 73.7191°E / 21.8380; 73.7191
LocationNarmada Valley Kevadiya, Narmada, Gujarat, India
DesignerRam V. Sutar
TypeStatue
MaterialSteel framing, reinforced by concrete and brass coating, bronze cladding[1]
Height182 metres (597 ft)
Visitors2.8 million[2] (in 2018–19)
Beginning date31 October 2013 (2013-10-31)
Completion date30 October 2018
Opening date31 October 2018
Dedicated toVallabhbhai Patel
Websitestatueofunitypackage.in

The Statue of Unity is the world's tallest statue, with a height of 182 metres (597 feet),[3] located near Kevadia in the state of Gujarat, India. It depicts Indian statesman and independence activist Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950), who was the first deputy prime minister and home minister of independent India and an adherent of Mahatma Gandhi. Patel is highly respected for playing a significant role in the political integration of India. The statue is located in Gujarat on the Narmada River in the Kevadiya colony, facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam 100 kilometres (62 miles) southeast of the city of Vadodara.[4]

The project was first announced in 2010 by then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi, and construction started in October 2013 by Indian company Larsen & Toubro, with a total construction cost of ₹27 billion (US$422 million).[5] It was designed by Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on 31 October 2018, the 143rd anniversary of Patel's birth.[6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ibn was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Dave, Kapil (23 October 2019). "In 11 months, Statue of Unity got 2.6 million visitors Ahmedabad News". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  3. ^ "Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Statue: Statue of Unity location, height, cost, other facts". The Indian Express. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Gujarat". The Times of India. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Statue of Unity: World's tallest statue constructed in a record 33 months". The Economic Times. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  6. ^ "PM Unveils Sardar Patel's 2,900-Crore Statue of Unity Today: 10 Facts". MSN. Archived from the original on 31 October 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2018.