Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday visited renowned sculptor and Padma Bhushan awardee Ram Vanji Sutar's factory in Industrial Area Site 4 in Ghaziabad and reviewed the progress of the world’s largest statue of Bir Lachit Barphukan which is being built in.
According to initial reports, by January 15, this statue is to be installed in Jorhat, Assam.
The Chief Minister of Assam reached Site 4 at 6 pm and hailed the veteran sculptor for his effort in crafting the 150-foot bronze statue of Bir Lachit Borphukan.
The Chief Minister told the media that this statue would remind them of the defeat of the Mughals by the Ahoms.
“Bir Lachit Borphukan was chosen to command the army in the fight against the Mughals by King Supangmung, also known as Chakradhwaj Singha, the king of Guwahati. The Mughals were defeated by him. The statue will be put up in war memorial ‘Alaboi Ranakshetra’ in Jorhat’s Hollongapar by January next year,” said the chief minister.
Notably, veteran sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar has crafted some of the most iconic monuments in the country including the Statue of Unity in Gujarat.
Earlier in the month of February last year, former President Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone of a 150-foot-bronze statue of Bir Lachit Phukan, a war museum and other facilities at his memorial at Hollongapar in Jorhat.
The war memorial ‘Alaboi Ranakshetra’ will be built to honour the valour of Bir Lachit Borphukan and his 10,000 troops martyred at Alaboi, Kamrup.
The memorial campus of 25 acres will feature a 100-foot ‘Hengdang’.
Sharing a 3D model of the memorial, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on Twitter, “Hon'ble President Shri Ram Nath Kovind ji laid the foundation of a 150-foot bronze statue of Bir Lachit Barphukan, a war museum among other facilities to be built at his memorial in an area extended by over 16.5 acres at Hollongapar, Jorhat.”
The then President of India, Ramnath Kovind had arrived in Guwahati last year for his three-day visit to Assam. He was received by CM Sarma along with Governor Jagdish Mukhi and other dignitaries.
He also visited Kamakhya Temple and offered his prayers.
During his visit, the President will also attend the convocation ceremony at the Tezpur University and visit the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
