PM Modi inaugurates 216-foot 'Statue of Equality' honouring 11th-century saint Ramanujacharya

The Statue of Equality commemorates saint Ramanujacharya, who propagaed the idea of equality in all aspects of living including faith, caste and creed, Prime Minister's Office said.

"This statue of Ramanujacharya ji is a symbol of his knowledge, detachment, and ideals," the PM said on the occasion.

"Today Ramanujacharya ji is giving us the message of equality in the form of a huge Statue of Equality," said the Prime Minister.

The statue is made of "panchaloha" - gold, silver, copper, brass, and zinc. It is among one of the tallest metallic statues in sitting position, in the world.

It is mounted on a 54-feet high base building, named 'Bhadra Vedi'.

The "vedi" or the platform has floors devoted for a Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts, a theatre, an educational gallery detailing many works of Sri Ramanujacharya.

The statue has been conceptualised by Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami of Sri Ramanujacharya Ashram.

The Prime Minister visited the 108 Divya Desams (ornately carved temples) that surround the Statue of Equality.

The place will also showcase a 3D projection performance on the life journey and teaching of Ramanujacharya.

The inauguration of the Statue of Equality is part of the 12-day Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi Samaroham, the ongoing 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Ramanujacharya, an official statement said.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister launched the 50th Anniversary celebrations of International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Hyderabad.