President Droupadi Murmu today unveiled the bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first and only Indian Governor General of Independent India at Rashtrapati Bhavan.The bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, situated at the Grand Open Staircase near Ashok Mandap, replaces the bust of Edwin Lutyens who build the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan originally meant to serve as the residence of the British Viceroy.“This initiative is a part of series of steps being taken towards shedding the vestiges colonial mindset and embracing, with pride, the richness of India’s culture, heritage, timeless traditions and honouring those who served Bharat Mata with their extraordinary contributions,” the President house said in a statement.The first step was the replacement of portraits of British era ADCs with the Param Vir Chakra awardees in an important gallery of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The second was the replacement of British texts from the regal building archives and their replacement with the literature in eleven Indian classical languages.The event today also marked the commencement of Rajaji Utsav to celebrate the freedom fighter.Speaking on the occasion, VP C P Radhakrishnan said, “Unveiling of Rajaji’s bust marks an important step in shedding remnants of colonial influence.”He described Rajaji Utsav as a rightful recognition of a great son of India, C. Rajagopalachari.”India’s movement away from colonial influence is not a single event, but an ongoing transformation. Changes undertaken under the vision of ‘Gulami ki Mansikta se Mukti’ are not merely symbolic, they reflect the Government’s spirit of Sewa Bhavna,” the Vice President said days after all government of India ministries led by PMO vacated the colonial era office blocks North and South Blocks and moved to Sewa Teerth and Kartavya Bhavan complexes, respectively.Rajagopalachari was born on December 10, 1878, in Thorapalli village located in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu (formerly part of the Madras Presidency in British India). He hailed from a Tamil Brahmin family and was born on the outskirts of Hosur.Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Vice President of India CP Radhakrishnan, Minister of Health and Family Welfare; and Chemicals and Fertilizers Jagat Prakash Nadda, Minister of External Affairs Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L. Murugan and family members of Rajaji.The Rajaji Utsav comes on the eve of Tamil Nadu elections.
