Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the world's tallest statue - Statue of Unity - on Wednesday to honour Sardar Vallabhai Patel. While the imposing structure is a sight to behold from the ground, it is every bit as mesmerising from the sky.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Three Indian Air Force aircraft flew in Vic formation while painting the tricolour as a salute to the majestic statue which stands at 182 metres. For reference, the Statue of Liberty in New York stands 46 metres tall.


The sheer aura of the statue of Sardar Patel dominating the landscape near Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat's Narmada district was not just on ground but from the skies as well. A video from one of the IAF aircraft gives a perspective as well as a bird's eye view of the engineering marvel that took about three years to be completed.


 



 


The monument was conceptualised by PM Modi during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister and he had laid the foundation stone for it in 2013.


Patel, the first Home Minister of Independent India, is credited with merging 500 princely states into the Union of India. He had used force to annex princely states of Junagadh ruled by Nawab and Hyderabad ruled by nizam, both of whom had wished not to merge their states with the India union.


(With PTI inputs)