All You Need To Know About 91-Feet Tall Chhatrapati Shivaji Statue At Malwan's Rajkot Fort Unveiled By Maha CM Devendra Fadnavis

Eight months after the collapse of a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Maharashtra government unveiled a grand 91-foot bronze replacement on Sunday at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, located in the coastal Sindhudurg district. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the new statue, which is now among the tallest tributes to the Maratha warrior king.

The original statue, which stood 35 feet tall, had dramatically collapsed in August 2024 during heavy rain and strong winds, only seven months after being unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2023. The incident triggered a major political storm, with opposition parties accusing the BJP-led government of negligence and corruption.

Details On New Statue

The Chief Minister lauded the collective effort behind the project, crediting renowned sculptor Ram V. Sutar, designers from the J.J. School of Art and engineers from IIT for their swift and successful execution. The new statue, including a 10-foot pedestal, stands 91 feet tall and is designed to endure for over a century in any climate. The metals used in construction this time are 88 per cent copper, 4 per cent zinc and 8 per cent tin.

The statue’s maintenance will be handled by the constructing firm for the next ten years. Following the previous collapse, the Public Works Department (PWD) floated a tender with an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore, covering everything from design and engineering to construction and maintenance. Two bids were received: Rs 20.90 crore from Garnet Interiors and Rs 36.05 crore from Ram Sutar Art Creations Pvt Ltd. The contract was ultimately awarded to Ram Sutar’s firm after it agreed to match the lower bid.

CM Fadnavis Speaks On Newly Unveiled Statue

Addressing the gathering at the unveiling ceremony, CM Fadnavis spoke on the state’s commitment to rebuilding a stronger, safer monument. “After the unfortunate incident last year, our government resolved to complete a new statue in record time, and we have done just that,” he said. Highlighting the new statue’s resilience, Fadnavis explained that it was engineered with detailed studies of cyclone patterns in the Konkan region and is capable of withstanding extreme wind speeds.

Ram Sutar Art Creations, led by Padma Shri awardee Ram V. Sutar and his son Anil R. Sutar, has a storied legacy, having designed India’s iconic Statue of Unity. However, the collapse of the earlier statue led to serious consequences. Sculptor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil were arrested after the incident. Both were later granted bail, with Patil released in November 2024 and Apte in January 2025.

The collapse had sparked widespread criticism from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), who accused the government of corruption and carelessness in the handling of the statue project, fueling political tensions ahead of the state Assembly elections.