Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Unveils New 91-Feet-Tall Chhatrapati Shivaji Statue At Malvan's Rajkot Fort, 8 Months After Collapse

Mumbai: Eight months after the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a grand new statue was unveiled on Sunday at the historic Rajkot Fort in Malvan. The event was attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Union Minister Narayan Rane, and State Ministers Shivrendra Singhraje Bhosale and Nitesh Rane.

Statement Of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

During the ceremony, Fadnavis stated, “The new statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has been erected at Rajkot with the same pride and even greater grandeur. After the unfortunate incident in the past, our government resolved to reinstall the statue here in record time.”

He further added, “The design of the statue has been made resilient enough to withstand the various storms that affect the Konkan region. The statue stands at approximately 91 feet, including a 10-foot pedestal, making it the tallest statue of Shivaji Maharaj in the country. It is built to last for at least 100 years in all kinds of weather conditions. The responsibility for its maintenance over the next 10 years has been entrusted to the creators of the statue. We had made a firm commitment to build a monument worthy of Shivaji Maharaj, no matter the circumstances.”

About The Collapse Of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Statue

Earlier this year, a 35-foot statue of the Maratha warrior king collapsed at the fort in Malvan taluka of Sindhudurg on August 26, just nine months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled it on December 4, 2023. The collapse drew national attention when Modi personally apologised for it. This made the construction of the new statue not just emotionally significant but also politically important.

The Mahayuti government had assured that a new statue would be erected at the same location without delay. The new statue has been crafted by renowned sculptor Ram Sutar and was completed under the guidance of his son, Anil Sutar. The statue, depicted in a battle-ready posture holding a sword, is made of bronze, composed of 88% copper, 4% zinc, and 8% tin. The bronze used in its construction has an average thickness of 6 to 8 millimeters. The statue was manufactured by a company based in Noida, and the project cost amounted to approximately Rs 31.75 crore.