CM Himanta Biswa Sarma To Inaugurate Barak Valley’s First Statue Of Mangal Pandey Tomorrow in Silchar

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will inaugurate the first-ever statue of revolutionary freedom fighter Mangal Pandey in Silchar on August 31 (Sunday). The bronze statue, 10 feet in height with a 10-foot pedestal, has been installed at the Rotary of Silchar Bypass near NIT, close to Ghungoor on the Silchar–Hailakandi road.

BJP Cachar District General Secretary Amitabh Rai informed that the inauguration programme will begin at 4 PM. “It was a long-awaited demand of the people of Barak Valley. The ideals and principles of Mangal Pandey continue to inspire us, and through this statue, his morals will further propagate in our region. We will also request the Chief Minister to include more about his life in school textbooks,” Rai said.

“People from all walks of life have contributed towards making this statue a reality,” Rai also added, expressing gratitude for the collective support received from the region.

The project was conceptualised in 2021 and is now seeing its completion after four years. West Bengal sculptor Chandrasekhar Das built the bronze statue in three months at a cost of Rs. 15 lakh.

A cultural display on temporary stages along the roadside will welcome the Chief Minister. More than 10,000 people are expected to attend the inauguration, following which Sarma will also address a public gathering at a nearby ground.

Uday Shankar Goswami, another organiser, said the location will be officially named Sahid Mangal Pandey Chowk. “This is a grand upliftment for this four-way junction. We are thankful to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma for his support. Despite initial challenges, with the efforts of Minister Kaushik Rai, this dream has come true.” Goswami stated.

He further added that the Chief Minister will also inaugurate a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at Rangirkhari Point in Silchar tomorrow.

Mangal Pandey, remembered as the “First Martyr of India’s Freedom Struggle,” revolted against the British in Barrackpore in 1857, sparking the First War of Independence.