ROURKELA: As a mark of tribute to former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 95th birth anniversary, a bronze statue of the late leader was unveiled here on Wednesday.
Commissioned by the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), the statue was inaugurated at a newly developed garden at Ambagan here by Sundargarh MP and Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence Jual Oram.
It was Vajpayee, who in 1999 had carved out a separate Ministry of Tribal Affairs from the Ministry of Human Resources Development, and made Oram the first Tribal Affairs Minister of the country.
Oram spoke about Vajpayee’s commitment to nationalism, honesty and multi-faceted personality. He also recalled his close association with the towering leader of Indian politics and shared some lighter moments spent with him.
Speaking on the occasion, Rourkela BJD MLA and District Planning Committee Chairman Sarada Prasad Nayak said Vajpayee continues to live in the hearts of the countrymen.
RSP sources informed that the nine feet tall bronze statue stands on an eight feet high pedestal. It has been sculpted by Ram Vanji Sutar, who had also designed the Statue of Unity in Gujarat. The garden housing the statue has been developed over a piece of unused land measuring 5,300 sq feet.Among others, RN Pali BJD MLA Subrata Tarai, Birmitrapur BJP MLA Shankar Oram and RSP Chief Executive Officer Dipak Chattraj were present.