The bronze statue of Edwin Lutyens in the Central Courtyard of Rashtrapati Bhavan has been removed and the statue of C Gopalachari, the first Governor General of independent India, has been installed. While announcing the removal of Lutyens’ statue on February 22, PM Modi had said that it would no longer be there. Lutyens was a British architect who built the famous buildings of New Delhi.
PM Modi, while deciding to remove Lutyens’ statue, had announced this in the 131st episode of his radio program on Sunday. PM Modi said that today the country is leaving behind the signs of slavery. Has started giving importance to symbols related to Indian culture.
Exhibition at Rashtrapati Bhavan till March 1
After this, President Draupadi Murmu on Monday installed the statue of Rajagopalachari, whom people called Rajaji. Now the exhibition will also run here till March 1. This statue is kept in a corner of the big open stairs inside Rashtrapati Bhavan. The President’s Secretariat has said that this initiative is a series of steps being taken towards eradicating the traces of colonial thinking. Lutyens himself designed the building from where his statue is being removed.
Whereas PM Modi has appreciated this step. He posted on
He further said that Rajaji was a brilliant scholar, freedom fighter, thinker and administrator. His life was a symbol of integrity, intelligence and unwavering dedication towards the nation.
A commendable effort, which reflects India’s resolve to honor those who shaped our destiny and to shed remnants of a colonial mindset.
Rajaji was a towering scholar, freedom fighter, thinker and administrator. His life embodied integrity, intellect and unwavering commitment to…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 23, 2026
Who was Edwin Lutyens?
Regarding Lutyens, his daughter Mary Lutyens wrote that her father was the 10th child and ninth boy in the family of 13 people of Charles and Mary Lutyens of Onslow Square, London and Thursley, Surrey. He was born on 29 March 1869. He was named Edwin. He has also been given the knighthood. That’s why Sir Edwin Lutyens appears before his name. His father Charles Augustus Henry Lutyens was a soldier and painter. Mother Mary Theresa was from Galway Island.
Lutyens started working as an apprentice in the offices of some architects. After this, he started his practice in 1988 at the age of 19. He was compared to Christopher Wren. Lutyens built the country house. Lutyens has been considered the greatest architect of the twentieth century. After shifting the capital of British India from Kolkata to Delhi in 1911, King George V made Lutyens the Chief Architect.
Lutyens prepared this project with his fellow architect Sir Herbert Baker. In this, Viceroy’s House (Rashtrapati Bhavan), India Gate, North and South Block, Gol Connaught Place and the big ceremonial axis of that time named Kingsway were built. He died in 1944.
BJP government removing signs of British rule
In the last few years, the Narendra Modi led BJP government has taken several decisions and decided to remove the symbol of the British Raj considering it a symbol of slavery. In the year 2022, the name of Rajpath was changed to Dutva Path. In May 2023, PM Modi built a new Parliament building on the side of the Gol Parliament Building and handed it over to the country. In 2026, the Prime Minister’s Office was shifted from the colonial era South Block to a new complex named Seva Tirtha. PM Modi has set a deadline of 2035 to remove the signs of the British Raj.
Who was Rajagopalachari?
The statue of Rajagopalachari or Rajaji has been installed in place of Lutyens’ statue. He was a lawyer and freedom fighter. Was an associate of Mahatma Gandhi. He has been the only Indian as Governor General. After this he also formed a political party in opposition to Jawaharlal Nehru.
