Vijayawada is all set to unveil the world’s largest statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at Swaraj Maidan. The 125-foot statue stands at a total height of 206 feet, including the 85 ft pedestal. Situated in Swaraj Maidan, it offers various amenities such as an experience center, a 2000-seat convention center, a food court, a children’s play area, waterbodies, a musical fountain, and walkways.
Formerly a lesser-known spot, Swaraj Maidan will now be officially recognized as “Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Swaraj Maidan.” The project, developed by M/s Design Associates Noida, includes the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Experience Centre, a convention center, and a food court, along with a dedicated children’s play area. The experience center draws inspiration from Dr. Ambedkar’s values and ethics, featuring a dynamic gallery with changing pictures influenced by the surroundings.
The statue’s base, designed to resemble the Kalachakra Maha Mandal in Buddhist architecture, is a two-floor structure shaped like an isosceles trapezium made of reinforced concrete. The government initiated this prestigious project in 2020 with an estimated budget of 268 crores. Constructed as one unibody mass of steel and brass, the statue comprises 352 tonnes of steel and 112 tonnes of brass.
Constructed by KPC Projects Ltd, Hyderabad, and designed by Design Associates, Noida, the project spans 18.81 acres, featuring six water bodies, a central musical fountain, and lush greenery. Born on April 14, 1891, Ambedkar, or Babasaheb, chaired the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly, earning the title Architect of the Indian Constitution. He embraced Buddhism on October 14, 1956, and passed away on December 6, 1956.