Rashtrapati Bhavan to replace Lutyens statue with Rajagopalachari's
Rashtrapati Bhavan will replace the statue of British architect Edwin Lutyens for one of C. Rajagopalachari, India's first Indian governor-general after independence.
PM Modi announced the move during his Mann ki Baat, calling it part of a bigger push to shed colonial influences in line with the Prime Minister's second 'Panch Pran.'
The new statue will be unveiled during 'Rajaji Utsav,' and there's an exhibition running this week.
More updates at Rashtrapati Bhavan
This change isn't just about statues—it's about giving Indian leaders their due and moving away from symbols of colonial rule.
Modi pointed out how odd it was that British figures were honored while Indian icons weren't, highlighting Rajagopalachari's belief that power should mean service, not dominance.
Along with this, Rashtrapati Bhavan is seeing more updates: portraits of war heroes are replacing those of British officers, halls are being renamed to reflect Indian heritage, and even the gardens and main road got new names—showing a real shift toward celebrating India's own story.