Sonia Gandhi Unveils Statue of Former Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh in Shimla
SHIMLA: Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Monday unveiled a statue of six-time Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at Daulat Singh Park on the historic Ridge Ground in Shimla.
Accompanied by her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson paid floral tributes to the late leader after inaugurating the six-foot-tall bronze statue. The statue stands alongside those of prominent figures such as Y.S. Parmar — the state’s first chief minister — Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The statue, created by the firm of renowned sculptor Ram V. Sutar and his son Anil Ram Sutar, cost ₹40 lakh, including ₹24 lakh for its construction and ₹16 lakh for installation. Ram Sutar is also known for designing the 182-foot Statue of Unity dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Virbhadra Singh, a scion of the Rampur-Bushahr royal family, first became chief minister on April 8, 1983, and went on to serve five more terms during his four-decade-long political career. He passed away in 2021 after a prolonged illness. His wife, Pratibha Singh, currently heads the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, while his son, Vikramaditya Singh, serves as the state’s Public Works Minister.
The statue unveiling and the rally that followed were organised by Vikramaditya Singh, who also chairs the Raja Virbhadra Singh Foundation. Initially scheduled for June 23, on Virbhadra Singh’s birth anniversary, the event was postponed to October.
A large crowd of party workers and residents gathered for the ceremony. To ensure smooth conduct, security was tightened with around 400 police personnel deployed. The city was divided into five security sectors, and special arrangements were made for traffic and parking. Movement of heavy and utility vehicles was restricted in the city till 3 p.m.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri, HPCC president Pratibha Singh, and senior Congress leaders including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sachin Pilot, Deepender Hooda, Rajni Patil, Rajiv Shukla, and several state cabinet ministers attended the event.
