Mumbai, Nov 26 The statue of Bharat Ratna Babasaheb Ambedkar, the chief architect of India's Constitution, was unveiled at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris on Wednesday.
The statue, which now stands prominently in the courtyard of the UNESCO headquarters, was gifted by the Government of Maharashtra.
Its unveiling coincides precisely with Constitution Day, ensuring Ambedkar's statue stands majestically at the UNESCO Paris complex on this significant date.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in his post on X, said, “A proud moment for Maharashtra and India. On Constitution Day, the statue of MahaManav BharatRatna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, presented by the Government of Maharashtra, was unveiled at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.”
He offered his thanks to all the relevant officials and senior authorities at UNESCO.
"The great figure, Babasaheb Ambedkar, through his intellect and genius, gave the world the direction of equality, fraternity, and social transformation. The Constitution that India received is the manifestation of its lofty deeds. The unveiling of such a statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar on Constitution Day itself is a moment of supreme respect shown towards the Constitution of the world's largest democracy," said CM Fadnavis.
"We consider this moment, on behalf of the entire populace of Maharashtra, an opportunity to pay our deepest respects to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. I also congratulate the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modiji and all those who strived to make this statue a reality. On this occasion, I extend my best wishes to all citizens," the Chief Minister added.
The statue was unveiled at the UNESCO headquarters by UNESCO Director-General Khalid Al-Inay. India's Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Vishal Sharma, along with other dignitaries, was present at the ceremony.
According to the Chief Minister's office, the Government of Maharashtra had previously undertaken several initiatives to honour Ambedkar, including purchasing his house in London and converting it into a museum and erecting a statue of Babasaheb at Koyasan University in Japan.
Fadnavis also noted that work on the International Memorial of Babasaheb Ambedkar at Indu Mill in Mumbai has been expedited, saying that he has periodically issued instructions in this regard.
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