The installation of a nine-foot tall statue of Gandhi in London’s Parliament Square has just received its biggest single donation of a whopping £100,000.
The handsome sum of £100,00 came from an admirable social and political activist Dr Rami Ranger, who is also the company director of Sun Mark Ltd. The Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust say is a huge way towards meeting the £750,000 budget needed to make and erect the statue.
The plan for the statue, which will be positioned directly in front of the Houses of Parliament was proposed by the Chancellor George Osborne and former Foreign Secretary William Hague, during a visit to India in July this year. It is hoped to be in place by early 2015.
The sculpture by Philip Jackson, who has also created memorials to Bomber Command, the Gurkhas and the Korean War, depicts Gandhi wearing a shawl and traditional dhoti skirt, with his hands clasped.
Inspired by photographs of Gandhi on the steps of 10 Downing Street during a visit to London in 1931, the statue portrays him as “a thoughtful, determined, compassionate man”, according to planning documents.
Dr Ranger said: “The world owes Gandhi a huge debt of gratitude for liberating one fifth of mankind through non-violence, thereby creating a better world.”
Other donors are also stepping forward from around the world to contribute towards setting up the Gandhi statue. There are pledges of large amounts due to be realised in the next month, while smaller donations continue to flow.
Professor Lord (Meghnad) Desai, chair of the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust, said: “This is more good news which adds to the steady flow of donations which have been coming in from all around the world through our website as awareness spreads.
“It is the combination of lots of small donations and a few large ones which is taking us swiftly to our final goal. But of course, we still welcome all those who would like to donate. As Gandhi said, ‘If the cause is right, the means will come’.”
Ghandi’s statue will stand along side other great figures such as Sir Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and Abraham Lincoln.
