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Press Release on the inauguration of the Sardar Patel's statue at Sanatan Mandir Cultural Centre on May 1, 2022

Posted on: May 01, 2022 | Back | Print

Consulate General of India

Toronto

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Press Release on the inauguration of the Sardar Patel statue at Sanatan Mandir Cultural Centre on May 1, 2022

Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, delivered a special address at an event held on May 1st, 2022 to unveil the first statue of Sardar Patel in Canada. The event, which took place at the Sanatan Mandir Cultural Centre (SMCC) Markham, Ontario, also marked celebration of 'Gujarat Day', and was organized as part of the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Justin Trudeau, and Premier of Ontario, Mr. Doug Ford, sent congratulatory messages for the event. Special messages of greeting were also received from Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India and Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The event saw attendance by several other Canadian leaders, including Federal Ministers, Dr. Helena Jaczek (Minister of Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario) and Mr. Ahmed Hussen (Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Youth), and Members of Provincial Parliament, Mr Billy Pang and Mr. Logan Kanapathi.

2. The statue of Sardar Patel, located at SMCC was unveiled by Shri Ajay Bisaria, the High Commissioner of India to Canada together with Smt. Apoorva Srivastava, Consul General of India, and prominent supporters and trustees of SMCC. The nine feet tall, 1000 kg bronze statue was procured from India and has been sculpted by Matu Ram Art Centre Pvt. Ltd, Gurgaon. The resources for the statue and its installation were raised by SMCC with the generous support of the Indian heritage community in Canada. About 1000 people attended the in-person event. Thousands also watched the live webcast.

3. The SMCC, established in July 1996, includes a temple and a cultural centre. The centre is spread over 5 acres of land in the municipality of Markham, approximately 30 kms northeast of downtown Toronto in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). SMCC is a registered charitable trust and has been at the forefront of promoting Indian culture in GTA.

Toronto

May 1, 2022

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