From Statue of Unity to National War Memorial - some brilliant works of architecture under Modi rule in 8 yrs

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Modi govt 8 years: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in recent years has established several iconic monuments throughout the country. This is the first time, after the British rule that any government is actively involved in building monuments. Some of these monuments have been long-standing dreams of PM Modi, which include the world’s tallest monument - the Statue of Unity, the Central Vista project, and the National War Memorial.

Here is the list of monuments 

Let us take a closer look at all the architectural wonders that grace the period of eight of his governance. 

The National War Memorial

Since coming to power in 2014, PM Modi and his cabinet ministers have always appreciated the efforts put forward by those who stand guard at the nation’s various borders. In a bid to show his appreciation to our soldiers who fought in the India-China war in 1962, the Indo-Pak wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971, Indian Peace Keeping Force operations in Sri Lanka and in the Kargil conflict of 1999, the Prime Minister issued a war memorial to be built to honor the fallen heroes.

The National War Memorial is spread over an area of approximately 40 acres of land in the heart of the national capital. It comprises of four concentric circles—Amar Chakra, Veerta Chakra, Tyag Chakra and Rakshak Chakra—with names of 25,942 soldiers inscribed in golden letters on granite tablets.

Before this, the Amar Jyoti Jawan commemorated the sacrifice of soldiers who fought in the Indo- Pak war of 1971. The memorial will also serve as the place for future ceremonies for armed forces, while the general public can pay their respects to the fallen through interactive electronic panels that will soon be set up.

The Statue of Unity

The Statue of Unity built in Gujarat’s Narmada district is a 182m-tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first home minister. The Rs 2,389-crore iron statue was inaugurated to coincide with Patel’s 143rd birth anniversary.

Modi aimed to not just remember Patel and his contribution to uniting the country after independence but also to attract tourists from all over the world. Recently, he also claimed that more people visit the Statue of Unity than the iconic Statue of Liberty in the USA’s New York.

The prime minister also stated at the time that Kevadiya was an example of how both economy and ecology could be developed in a planned manner. PM Modi’s initiative transformed Kevadiya from a small and remote area to one of the world’s biggest tourist destinations. “Some people have not yet visited Kevadiya but I am sure they will feel proud when they do,” Modi said while inaugurating the statue.

The Central Vista Redevelopment project

The Union government had announced Modi’s dream project, the Central Vista Redevelopment Project back in 2019 and on 10 December 2020, he laid the foundation stone for the structure. The project aims to redevelop the area as a world-class public space, restoring its grandeur as an architectural icon, housing modern facilities for the efficient functioning of the administration, strengthening cultural institutions and commemorating the 75th year of Indian Independence.

Central Vista area in New Delhi houses the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House, North and South Block, India Gate, among other buildings. The place was originally built during the British colonial era and was later retained by the Indian government after independence. The area was planned and designed by Herbert Baker and Edward Lutyens.

The Union government stated that most of the old buildings of Central Vista have outlived their structural lives, thus requiring a redevelopment to give it a new look. The Government also argued that the old Parliament buildings had the inadequate infrastructure and could not meet the demands of present times

The Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Hologram Statue 

PM Modi unveiled The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Hologram Statue on January 23, 2022. He also announced that India's Republic Day celebrations will begin on January 23 rather than the usual January 24 to include the birth anniversary of the leader. 

The size of the hologram statue is 28 feet in height and 6 feet in width. The hologram statue is powered by a 30,000 lumens projector so as to create a 3D image of Netaji. 

The union government also instituted the annual Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar to recognize and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organizations in India in the field of disaster management.

The Statue of Equality

PM Modi on February 5, 2022, inaugurated the 216-foot statue of Ramanujacharya in Hyderabad. 

The Prime Minister also worshipped at the Muchintal temple. He participated in the 'Purnahuti' of 'Vishwaksena Ishti Yagya'. The Yagya is for fulfilment of goals. He offered the 'sankalpa' of the Yagya for the 'Amrit Sankalp' of the country and dedicated the yagya to 130 crore countrymen.

Ramanujacharya promoted the idea of equality in all aspects of living, including faith, caste and creed. Describing him as a shining inspiration for the unity and integrity, Modi said the saint was born in the South but his influence is on the whole of South to North and East to West. 

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