Statue of Unity
The Statue of Unity in Gujarat | |
| Location | Narmada Valley, Kevadiya, Narmada, Gujarat, India |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 21°50′17″N 73°43′09″E / 21.8380°N 73.7191°E |
| Designer | Ram V. Sutar |
| Type | Statue |
| Material | Steel framing, reinforced by concrete and brass coating, bronze cladding |
| Height | 182 metres (597 ft) |
| Visitors | 2.8 million (in 2018–19) |
| Beginning date | 31 October 2013 |
| Completion date | 30 October 2018 |
| Opening date | 31 October 2018 |
| Dedicated to | Vallabhbhai Patel |
| Website | statueofunitypackage |
The Statue of Unity is the world's tallest statue, with a height of 182 metres (597 feet), located in Narmada valley, near Kevadia in the state of Gujarat, India. It depicts Indian politician and independence activist Sardar Patel (1875–1950), who was the first deputy prime minister and home minister of independent India. Patel played a significant role in the political integration of India. The statue is on the Narmada River in the Kevadiya colony, facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam, 100 kilometres (62 miles) southeast of the city of Vadodara.
The project was first announced in 2010 by Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, and construction started in October 2013 by Indian company Larsen & Toubro, with a total construction cost of ₹27 billion (US$422 million). It was designed by Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar and was inaugurated by Modi, then Prime Minister of India, on 31 October 2018, on what would have been Patel's 143rd birthday.