Gujarat’s Statue of Unity listed as one of ‘8 Wonders of SCO’

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) listed the 182-metre tall Statue of Unity as one of the ‘Eight Wonders of SCO’. News of inclusion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s memorial statue was shared by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on January 13.

Taking to Twitter, he commended the efforts put in by SCO to promote tourism in its member nations. Thanking the SCO, Jaishankar wrote:

Appreciated the #SCO’s efforts to promote tourism among member states. The “8 Wonders of SCO”, which includes the #StatueofUnity , will surely serve as an inspiration. pic.twitter.com/nmTbz6qIFg

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 13, 2020

The official Twitter handle of the ruling BJP congratulated Prime minister Narendra Modi for the feat, who had sanctioned the project.

PM Modi is transforming India into a global tourist hub.

The Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue, has been included in the SCO's list of 8 wonders. The SCO will now promote the statue in member countries. It already has more footfall than the Statue of Liberty daily. pic.twitter.com/Vx8rETnPwy — BJP (@BJP4India) January 14, 2020

The ‘Statue of Unity’ replaced the Spring temple of Buddha in China to become the tallest statue in the world, situated between Vadodara and Surat in Gujarat. It was erected by the BJP government to pay tribute to the ‘Iron Man of India’ and remember his contributions towards the freedom struggle of the country. Vallabhbhai Patel was independent India’s first home minister and deputy prime minister.

PM Modi inaugurated the Statue of Unity in October 2018 to mark the stalwart’s 143rd birthday. Though the project was announced back in 2010, work on it began only in 2013 and took five years to finish.

Interestingly, a drive named the Statue of Unity Movement was started to collect funds for the construction of the memorial statue. Farmers were urged to donate their farming tools to contribute to the iron required to build the statue. When the project was first announced by PM Modi, then the chief minister of Gujarat, it was titled ‘Gujarat’s tribute to the nation’.