Dr B R Ambedkar’s tallest statue unveiled in Hyderabad by KCR

HYDERABAD: Dr B R Ambedkar’s towering statue, standing 125-feet tall and in evidence of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s long-cherished dream, was unveiled to the world in the heart of Hyderabad on Friday afternoon. KCR, along with Prakash Yashwant Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar, unveiled the statue of the iconic leader, touted as the world’s tallest among Ambedkar statues.

The 125-foot-tall Ambedkar statue was showered with floral petals from a helicopter in a unique tribute to the iconic leader on his birth anniversary.

Accompanied by Prakash Ambedkar, KCR unveiled a plaque to mark the inauguration of the statue. Later, Prakash Ambedkar opened the main entrance of the circular building shouldering the imposing statue even as Buddhist monks chanted religious verses. Later, the guest of honour, the chief minister and a battery of dignitaries including ministers, legislators and senior government officials offered floral tributes to Dr B R Ambedkar at the foot of the statue.

As the leaders embarked on a brief tour of the circular building, they were given ceremonial blessings by a few Buddish monks. KCR and Prakash Ambedkar, along with leaders and officials, patiently went through a photo exhibition featuring rare pictures of Dr Ambedkar. Following this, the dignitaries sat down inside the building to watch an audio-visual, depicting the life of India’s greatest visionary and the tireless efforts that went into the making of the statue.

The newest landmark of Hyderabad, sporting a bronze outer cladding that covers a strong inner foundation of non-corrosive stainless steel framework and heavy concrete mix, is rated as the tallest Ambedkar statue in the world.

Before arriving at the ‘Ambedkar Smrithi Vanam’, KCR hosted Prakash Ambedkar for lunch at Pragathi Bhavan. He felicitated the grandson of Dr Ambedkar with a shawl before the two had a courtesy meeting. After lunch, accompanied by Prakash Ambedkar and a host of the BRS leaders, the Telangana Chief Minister drove straight to the venue of the statue inauguration.

Prakash Ambedkar took part in a series of events in Telangana and in Hyderabad before the statue unveiling, to mark the birth anniversary of his grandfather.

Plants sapling as part of Green India Challenge

Prior to his lunch with KCR, Prakash Ambedkar took part in the Green India Challenge initiative of BRS MP Joginipally Santhosh Kumar. He planted a sapling in Begumpet and expressed his happiness to be a part of the initiative on the occasion of Dr B R Ambedkar’s birth anniversary. He also complimented the MP for carrying forward his grandfather’s philosophy when it comes to the promotion of greenery. Dr Ambedkar always insisted that everyone who wanted to meet him should first plant a sapling, he recalled.

Hails KCR’s Dalit Bandhu scheme

Earlier in the day, Prakash Ambedkar visited Jammikunta of Huzurabad where he paid tributes to Dr B R Ambedkar by garlanding his statue. He visited a Dalit Bandhu units and was in awe of the Dalit Bandhu scheme introduced by KCR in Telangana. He described the initiative as a fabulous experiment aimed at the upliftment of Dalits.

He expressed his desire that all other states should emulate the Dalit Bandhu scheme which should eventually become a role model for the entire country. Prakash Ambedkar also said that he would propose to KCR, during his meeting with the Telangana Chief Minister later in the day, to also include all the 30 percent people languishing below the poverty line in the Dalit Bandhu scheme.