On the occasion of Constitution Day, the statue of Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, was unveiled in the courtyard of UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris.
The Maharashtra government had gifted the statue to UNESCO. Calling it a moment of pride for all Indians, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis thanked the concerned officials as well as senior UNESCO representatives. He said that Dr. Ambedkar, through his scholarship and vision, guided the world toward equality, fraternity, and social transformation. India’s Constitution, he noted, is the product of Ambedkar’s immense intellect and creativity. Fadnavis added that unveiling the statue on Constitution Day is a mark of deep respect for the Constitution of the world’s largest democracy. He described the day as historic not only for Maharashtra but for India as a whole.
The statue was unveiled by UNESCO Director-General Khalid Al-Innai, in the presence of India’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Vishal Sharma, and other dignitaries. The Maharashtra government has earlier purchased Dr. Ambedkar’s London residence and converted it into a museum. His statues have also been installed at Koyasan University in Japan. Meanwhile, work on the International Memorial dedicated to Dr. Ambedkar at Indu Mill in Mumbai has been expedited.