<p>A black granite statue of Netaji Subhash Bose, constructed in Telangana's Khammam, was inaugurated by PM Modi at the new Central Vista on Thursday. Sculptor of the statue Arun Yogiraj, who hails from Mysore, says he was selected after his statue of Sankaracharya at Kedarnath temple caught the prime minister’s attention.</p>.<p>While unveiling the statue, Modi said that Netaji was the first Prime Minister of “Akhand Bharat”. “He had liberated Andaman even before 1947 and unfurled the Tricolour there. Had we followed his path after Independence, what heights would the country be at today. Unfortunately, this great hero was forgotten after independence; his views, the symbols associated with him were ignored,” Modi said. </p>.<p>The statue, carved out of a single monolithic block of jet black granite weighing 280 MT sourced from Telangana, was built over 26,000 hours by more than 40 artisans. The statue is 28 feet tall and weighs 65 MT and will be placed under the Canopy near India Gate.</p>.<p>A release from the ministry of culture says that the stone block was transported across the 1665 kms from Khammam to Delhi in a 100-feet-long truck with 140 wheels specially designed for the purpose.</p>.<p>The statue of Netaji, was designed by NGMA director general Advaita Gadanayak, and Yogiral was later selected to carve it. He says that it was not an easy task to carve it. “To carve it from a single block of stone is not easy, especially when dealing with material like black granite,” the sculptor said. </p>.<p>Yogiraj is the son of sculptor BS Yogiraj Shilpi, and the family has been palace artists in the Mysore Palace. His other works include the marble statue of Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar in Mysore, and another of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.</p>.<p>Yogiraj’s statue of Sankaracharya led the prime minister to express a desire to meet the artist, which was later arranged by MP Pratap Simha. Yogiraj later presented Modi with a 2-feet model of the statue.</p>
<p>A black granite statue of Netaji Subhash Bose, constructed in Telangana's Khammam, was inaugurated by PM Modi at the new Central Vista on Thursday. Sculptor of the statue Arun Yogiraj, who hails from Mysore, says he was selected after his statue of Sankaracharya at Kedarnath temple caught the prime minister’s attention.</p>.<p>While unveiling the statue, Modi said that Netaji was the first Prime Minister of “Akhand Bharat”. “He had liberated Andaman even before 1947 and unfurled the Tricolour there. Had we followed his path after Independence, what heights would the country be at today. Unfortunately, this great hero was forgotten after independence; his views, the symbols associated with him were ignored,” Modi said. </p>.<p>The statue, carved out of a single monolithic block of jet black granite weighing 280 MT sourced from Telangana, was built over 26,000 hours by more than 40 artisans. The statue is 28 feet tall and weighs 65 MT and will be placed under the Canopy near India Gate.</p>.<p>A release from the ministry of culture says that the stone block was transported across the 1665 kms from Khammam to Delhi in a 100-feet-long truck with 140 wheels specially designed for the purpose.</p>.<p>The statue of Netaji, was designed by NGMA director general Advaita Gadanayak, and Yogiral was later selected to carve it. He says that it was not an easy task to carve it. “To carve it from a single block of stone is not easy, especially when dealing with material like black granite,” the sculptor said. </p>.<p>Yogiraj is the son of sculptor BS Yogiraj Shilpi, and the family has been palace artists in the Mysore Palace. His other works include the marble statue of Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar in Mysore, and another of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.</p>.<p>Yogiraj’s statue of Sankaracharya led the prime minister to express a desire to meet the artist, which was later arranged by MP Pratap Simha. Yogiraj later presented Modi with a 2-feet model of the statue.</p>