New 91-foot tall statue of Shivaji Maharaj unveiled in Malvan 9 months after collapse incident

Malvan | Nearly nine months after the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed at the Rajkot Fort in Maharashtra's coastal Sindhudurg district, a new 91 feet tall statue of the warrior king was unveiled at the same site on Sunday.

The previous 35-foot statue had collapsed in August last year, less than eight months after its installation, leading to a widespread outrage against the government. That statue had been unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4 in 2023 during the Navy Day celebrations. The collapse led to the arrest of its sculptor-contractor Jaydeep Apte.

Speaking at the unveiling of the new grander statue at the fort in Malvan, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said adequate care has been taken so that the new statue lasts at least 100 years in any environment. The maintenance of the statue has been given to those who built it.

"The statue is 91 feet tall and has a 10 feet pedestal," he said.

The contract to build the statue was given to renowned sculptor Ram Sutar and Anil Sutar's firm Ram Sutar Art Creations Pvt Ltd that built the 'Statue of Unity' in Gujarat.

Fadnavis said it can withstand storms higher in intensity than what was witnessed in the past.

This is perhaps the biggest statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji in the country, he said.

"After the unfortunate incident (of the statue collase), we had decided that under any circumstances, we will build another grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," Fadnavis said.

He said the land adjoining the fort will be acquired for better amenities.

He said the statue has been built by noted sculptor Ram Sutar, who also built the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, along with IIT engineers and the head of the J J School of Arts.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said after the statue collapsed in August 2024, the state government had resolved to build a similar statue and instructions were given accordingly.

The new statue depicts Shivaji Maharaj wielding a sword that is 29 feet long.

Shinde said it was PM Modi who had unveiled the statue in December 2023.

"Today, he (PM) is not here but he is standing firmly behind the soldiers protecting the nation. He is also doing some kind of Shiv karya," Shinde said.