India's Statue of Unity has been included in the list of eight wonders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The SCO is an eight-member alliance from Eurasia, which includes India, China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
External Affairs Minster Dr S. Jaishankar, on Tuesday, appreciated the SCO's efforts towards promoting tourism among member nations and asserted that the statue's inclusion in the list will "surely serve as an inspiration".
The 182-metre-tall statute is a monumental tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who was India's first home minister and Deputy Prime Minister. The statue is located near the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the river Narmada in Kevadiya colony in Gujarat.
Designed by Indian sculptor Ram V Sutar, the project was first announced in 2010 and was finally unveiled on October 31, 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In November 2019, the world's tallest statue surpassed the footfall at the 133-year-old Statue of Liberty in the US, with an average of over 15,000 tourists visiting the monument in Gujarat daily.
Apart from Statue of Unity, the other seven wonders of SCO include Daming Palace in China, Navruz Palace in Tajikistan, Mughals Heritage in Pakistan, Tamgaly Gorge in Kazakhstan, Po-i-Kalan Complex in Uzbekistan, The Golden Ring of Russia and Lahore, the Mughals heritage in Pakistan.
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