Andhra Pradesh CM unveils 206-feet tall Ambedkar statue in Vijayawada

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 20 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy unveiled the 206-feet tall statue of Dr BR Ambedkar installed at the Swaraj Maidan in Vijaywada, an official statement said on Friday.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the statue by launching the laser show that has illuminated it like an umbrella of fireworks amid the wide applause of tens of thousands of people who thronged the grounds, the release added.
The dazzling 125-foot bronze statue was installed on an 81-foot pedestal made with Kala Chakra Maha Mandala Buddhist architecture to make it attractive in its sky-high posture.
The giant statue installed on an extent of 18.18 acres with an expenditure of Rs 404.35 crore is the first of its kind in the world, as the precincts consist of a musical fountain, a 2000-capacity convention centre, a food court, a walking track and a children's area, it said.
The Ambedkat Smruthi Vanam also consists of a detailed Ambedkar Experience section that depicts the life and times of the visionary.
The pedestal consists of ground plus two floors, with the ground floor having four halls, with one of them being a cinema hall and the rest having digital museums detailing Ambedkar's life.
While one of the four halls on the first floor is dedicated to displaying Dr Ambedkar's attachment to South India, two of them would be dedicated to museums, and the fourth one would be used as library.
The four halls on the second floor are being proposed to be used as libraries.
The entire premises were spruced up with beautiful flower plants and attractive marble-made pathways by designers.
Earlier on Wednesday, CM Reddy called the statue of BR Ambedkar "the statue of social justice."
The 206 feet Mahashilpam of Ambedkar erected by our government in Vijayawada is a symbol not only for the state but also for the country. It is the "Statue of Social Justice"," he posted on X.