OdishaPlus Bureau
Paying a humble tribute to the former Prime Minister of India, freedom fighter, poet and orator Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has installed an exquisite bronze statue of the iconic statesman, in a beautifully developed garden in the Steel City of Rourkela. The statue was unveiled by Sundargarh MP Jual Oram today on the 95th birth anniversary of the leader who was loved by people across social, religious and political spectrums.
Rourkela MLA Sharada Prasad Nayak, Raghunathpalli MLA Subrat Tarai, Biramitrapur MLA Shankar Oram, RSP CEO Dipak Chattaraj, senior officials of Odisha Government and RSP were present on the occasion.
The 9-ft tall statue, sculpted by Ram Vanji Sutar who has also designed the Statue of Unity in Gujarat has been installed on an 8-ft high pedestal. The garden surrounding the statue has been developed over 5300 square meters unused piece of land at the heart of the Steel City. The sylvan surrounding, adequate illumination, a fountain and a walking path are the other attractions of the park.
Unveiling the statue, Oram elaborated about Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s total commitment to nationalism and his multifaceted personality. He also reminisced about his close association with the great leader and some lighter moments spent with him.
Tarai eulogized how Late Vajpayee commanded respect from the comity of nations. In his address, Nayak said Ataljee is present in the hearts of the people of India because of his qualities of head and heart. Shankar Oram highlighted the oratory and poetic skills of
Vajpayee. They also thanked and congratulated RSP for paying tributes to the visionary leader by installing an imposing statue of him in a beautiful garden.
Speaking on the occasion, the RSP CEO emphasized that the visionary leader has a strong connect with Rourkela Steel Plant and as the Prime Minister of India, his futuristic decisions pertaining to the Plant had helped the Steel Plant to take firm strides on the path of progress.
With the installation of the statue of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, another facet has been added to the social and cultural milieu of the Steel City. Later, the dignitaries also planted saplings in the garden. Earlier, Raj Vir Singh, ED (P&A), RSP welcomed the gathering. Archana Satpathy, DGM (PR) coordinated the function.
Vajpayee, one of the tallest leaders in the post-independence era, had during his tenure as Prime Minister initiated several projects that were game-changers.