‘Statue of Unity’- the world’s tallest 182-metre high statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is being built at the Sadhu Bet riverbed of the Narmada about 3-km from the Sardar Sarovar dam, Gujrat.
The statue, befitting the stature of the Iron Man of India, will be double the height of ‘Statue of Liberty’ in America and four times that of ‘Christ the Redeemer’ in Rio de Janeiro.
It is being named ‘Statue of Unity’ as it was the Sardar who had united India at its most trying times after Independence, amalgamating nearly 550 princely states within Union of India, and providing good governance as an able administrator in diverse fields like modern farming and empowerment of tribal communities, besides rebuilding the Somnath Temple.
The Statue of Unity will be built on the Sadhu Bet riverbed of the Narmada about 3-km from the Sardar Sarovar dam to be reached in boats. It will have a high-tech museum, chronicling 90 years history of India’s freedom fighters (1857-1947). Going much beyond a structure- it will be developed as a research and academic centre for preserving the unity and integrity of India, its rich culture and heritage, for research on agriculture which was dear to Sardar, for research on tribal life and so on.
Thus, it would be standing high not just in meters and feet but much more in terms of academic, historical, national and spiritual values.