The tallest statue of Dr BR Ambedkar outside India was inaugurated in Maryland in the US on Saturday. More than 500 Indian-Americans from across the United States and some other countries gathered to attend the unveiling ceremony of the 19-foot-tall 'Statue Of Equality' as chants of 'Jai Bhim' echoed through the Ambedkar International Centre. The statue was made by one of India's finest sculptors Ram Sutar who also built Sardar Patel's 'Statue of Unity' in India.
The president of the Ambedkar International Center (AIC), Ram Kumar, while talking to the news agency PTI after the statue unveiling ceremony said, "We are calling it the Statue of Equality… this (inequality) is not only the problem in India, everywhere (in) different forms (it exists)."
Among the noted personalities who travelled to the US to attend the ceremony was Ravi Kumar Narra, the national president of the Dalit Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DICCI). After the ceremony, he told PTI, "This is a great occasion to participate in the unveiling ceremony of the statue of Babasaheb. This is the tallest statue of Babasaheb in America. After 75 years of independence, people are realising the work done by Dr Ambedkar and that's the reason why day by day he's getting this popularity, people are now understanding him in a proper way. Earlier he was treated as a Dalit leader, but now the entire nation is recognising his contribution of empowering the women and the marginalised society as well as the economically weaker sections."
Meanwhile, after the inaugural ceremony, Elisha B. Pulivarti, president and CEO of the US India SME Council, awarded Narra with the US President's Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his community service.
Attendees also witnessed cultural performances after the ceremony. Indian-American artistes from various parts of the US showcased various cultural performances at the event.