The world’s tallest statue of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar stands in Hyderabad, a towering memorial to one of India’s most influential leaders. The massive bronze figure is a tribute to the legend who fought against social injustices and was the principal architect of India’s constitution.

This 125 ft statue of B R Ambedkar is a towering testament to the advocate of social justice and equality. The statue of the Dalit icon and Father of the Indian Constitution, fondly known as Babasaheb, was recently inaugurated on his 132nd birth anniversary, April 14, 2023, by K Chandrashekar Rao, Chief Minister of Telangana, in the presence of Babasaheb’s grandson, Prakash Ambedkar. The statue has been a flagship project of the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government and a personal undertaking of the Chief Minister of Telangana.

Salient Features
The statue is designed by the renowned father-son sculptors Ram Vanji Sutar—a Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee—and Anil Ram Sutar. Modeled in one of Babasaheb’s most iconic poses, the statue has been placed atop a structure similar to the existing Indian Parliament, bringing the whole height to 175 ft. Sprawled over 11.4 acres, it is installed adjacent to the banks of Hussainsagar Lake. Over 20,000 sq ft, the circular structure will hold a museum, a library, and an audio-visual 100-seat auditorium. The museum will display various articles and photographs from Babasaheb’s life, and a short film will be played in the theater for visitors.

The statue’s outer layer is composed of beige sandstone from Rajasthan. Large slabs of bronze weighing 450 tonnes were lifted by cranes to construct parts of the book with the word ‘India’ engraved on it, which emerges more clearly from the statue’s left hand. The bronze statue depicts Babasaheb dressed in a suit and carrying a copy of India’s constitution, complete with all its minute features, as a reminder of his crucial role in forging the nation’s democratic values.

The new Telangana secretariat, which is being built right beside the statue, has been named after Ambedkar by the State Government.

Babasaheb’s Legacy
Born into a family of the Mahar caste, Babasaheb battled against caste discrimination throughout his life. He was an important figure in the Indian independence struggle and a fervent believer in the concepts of democracy, social justice, and equality, which he worked relentlessly to ensure were incorporated in the Constitution. He organized enormous Buddhist conversions of Dalits and advocated for women’s rights, labor rights, and economic reforms. Most notably, as chairman of the committee that drafted India’s constitution following its independence from Britain, Babasaheb ensured that laws were put in place to eliminate socioeconomic inequities and guarantee the rights of all individuals. His numerous achievements earned him the title of ‘Modern India’s Architect’.

Symbol of Hope & Future
The statue is intended to draw visitors from around the world. Its massive magnitude reflects Babasaheb’s towering legacy and is a message to India to never give up on social justice, no matter how long the shadow of inequality persists. And as dawn breaks over the monument each day, it serves as a reminder to all that the dream of an egalitarian society continues—as brilliant as the bronze figure pointing the path to an unrealized future. Babasaheb’s values stand like a colossus, directing India’s march toward justice and dignity for everyone.

Visiting the Statue
The statue is situated at NTR Marg, Central Secretariat, Khairtabad, Hyderabad, and is open until 9 pm. From the HITEX Exhibition Center, visitors can take the Red Bus, available from JNTU College to Lakdikapul (2.3 km away from the site), which takes around an hour. Personal transportation takes around 50 minutes, depending on the traffic. NTR Marg is about 20 kilometers from the Exhibition Center.

The statue of the Father of the Indian Constitution, fondly known as Babasaheb, was recently inaugurated on his 132nd birth anniversary, April 14, 2023, by K Chandrashekar Rao, Chief Minister of Telangana, in the presence of Babasaheb’s grandson, Prakash Ambedkar, invited as the sole chief guest.