India’s Tallest Statue For NTR: Will Modi Accept It?

The Nara Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government intends to honour legendary actor and former CM of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, NT Ramarao, by erecting India’s largest statue in the state capital, Amaravati. NTR’s statue is expected to surpass the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel statue (597 feet tall) in Gujarat, which also houses a library, museum, and exhibition centre.

Apparently, with this statue, Chandrababu Naidu is determined to immortalise NTR’s legacy and let the world learn about the pride of Telugus. Thanks to the undisputed majority in the AP assembly, the statue will be cleared without much opposition. It’s well known that even the TDP’s archrival, the YSRCP, admires the legendary NTR.

However, the only hurdle for the installation of NTR’s giant statue is getting the centre’s approval. The Narendra Modi-led NDA government has not permitted any statue of this magnitude to date. Even though KCR had installed a huge statue for the chief architect of the Indian constitution, Dr. BR Ambedkar, the centre didn’t allow it to surpass Vallabhbhai Patel’s statue. This prompted KCR to increase the dais height to give the maximum elevation for the statue.

On the other hand, former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi’s statue is yet to get the union government’s permission. Usually, all state governments have the power to install statues of great icons within a particular height. But the union government’s approval is mandatory for any statue that crosses a height of over 100 meters.

The centre usually considers issues like flight movement and other challenges faced by giant structures before approving such tall statues. In this scenario, it remains to be seen if the central government will eventually allow the Andhra Pradesh government to erect the tallest statue in India for the legendary NTR.