New Delhi, Feb 23: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday unveiled the bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first and only Indian Governor-General of independent India, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The installation replaces the bust of Edwin Lutyens, the British architect behind many New Delhi landmarks, and is part of a broader initiative to celebrate India’s heritage while moving away from colonial era symbols, the President’s Secretariat said.
“This initiative is part of a series of steps aimed at shedding vestiges of colonial mindset and embracing, with pride, India’s culture, heritage, and timeless traditions, while honouring those who served Bharat Mata with extraordinary contributions,” the Secretariat said on X.
The ceremony was attended by Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan, Union Ministers J. P. Nadda, S. Jaishankar, Dharmendra Pradhan, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of State for I&B L. Murugan, and family members of Rajagopalachari.