Tallest Statue in the World – Check All The Details Here!

The world’s tallest statue is the ‘Statue of Unity’ of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, an Indian independence activist and politician. It is located in Narmada Valley Kevadiya, Narmada, Gujarat, India.

Notably, Sardar Vallabhai Patel was the driving force for the union of 562 princely states in India, the statue was named the ‘Statue of Unity.’ The Statue of Unity is a bigger replica of the statue that can be found at Ahmedabad International Airport. The monument project was initially launched in 2010 by the current Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, who was the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time. The construction of the Statue began in 2013, with Narendra Modi laying the foundation stone. Budgets were supplied by the state and national governments, and several fund-raising initiatives, such as the ‘Run for Unity’, were carried out. In 2018, on the 143rd anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the statue. 

Statue of Unity: About Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was known as Sardar because he was a strong political leader. He was a lawyer, barrister, India’s first Deputy Prime Minister, and India’s first Home Minister, in addition to being a politician. On October 31, 1875, he was born in Nadiad of Kheda district, Gujarat, India. Other than ‘Sardar’, he was also known as ‘Iron Man of India’ and ‘Patron Saint of India’s Civil Servants’. Patel finished his early studies at a late age and wanted to continue his education to become a lawyer. He also decided to move to England and become a barrister.

Sardar Patel aided India in its struggle against untouchability, caste inequality, and alcoholism. He also went from village to village, persuading people to refuse to pay taxes as part of the Gujarat Satyagraha. Sardar Patel was impressed by Mahatma Gandhi's ideas and backed his non-cooperation movement.

Princely states were states that were not directly ruled by the British but were ruled by rulers who indirectly served the British crown. Sardar Patel accomplished an outstanding task after India’s independence in 1947 of uniting 562 princely states to build a solid political boundary for India. Patel strongly opposed any attempt by Pakistan to seize Indian territory after independence and division.

On December 15, 1950, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel died after a major heart attack, which was reportedly his second heart attack, in Mumbai.

Statue of Unity: Statue Specifications

The structure’s entire height, including the statue’s 182 meters, is 240 meters, with a 58-meter base making it the world’s tallest statue. The monument, the Statue of Unity, was built at the cost of around 400-450 million US dollars by an Indian infrastructure business called Larsen & Toubro. The statue’s core is made of cement, structural steel, and reinforced steel, whereas the cladding is done of bronze which was imported from China. The statue is built employing Tuned Mass Dampers and a higher slenderness ratio than conventional to provide optimal stability. The design can endure wind speeds of up to 180 km/hr. The statue’s interior is separated into five zones, three of which are open to the public. High-speed elevators are installed to allow the public to go inside the shopping complex, research center, museum, garden, viewing gallery, and three-star hotel.

Statue of Unity: Interesting Facts

The Statue of Unity is 54 meters higher than the previous record holder, China’s ‘Spring Temple Buddha. This lovely building is encircled by an artificial lake, and the statue itself occupies around 5 acres of land. The monument received over 2.9 million tourists and approximately $12 million in ticket revenue in its first year of operation. The Statue of Unity is predicted to become green due to the natural oxidation of bronze, similar to what occurred to the Statue of Liberty.