Mohandas K. Gandhi Statue, Raleigh
The nine foot tall statue depicts Gandhi walking forward. He is shown dressed in draped fabric and carrying a staff. The statue itself stands on a cement pedestal as well as a second, lower cement base. Additionally, the cement base features four plaques (one on the front side of the monument, two on the left side, and a fourth on the right side).
Front plaque (east): YOU MUST BE THE CHANGE YOU / WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD / MOHANDAS K. GANDHI / 1869-1948 / SPIRITUAL & POLITICAL LEADER OF INDIA / STATUE PRESENTED TO / EXPLORIS AND THE CITIZENS OF NORTH CAROLINA / BY / INDIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY-NC, AND / INDIAN AMERICAN FORUM FOR POLITICAL EDUCATION / N.C. CHAPTER / PRESIDENT: DR. ARVIND SHAH - 2006 / SCULPTOR: SRI RAM SUTAR
Right plaque (north): PLATINUM DONORS / THANKS GANDHI-REEMA & ROBBY PADIA / GOVIND & MADHU CHANDAK / DRS. INDU AND MAHESH VARIA / ML. SURTI HANSA MILESH HEMANG / DR. ARVIND & BHAKTI (BINA) SHAH / JAYLAN REKHA KOMAL VISHAL PARIKH / RAMESH & KALA PATEL / GANGABAI & PYARENATH NARHARI / KANU & HASUMATI PATEL / HASIT SHAH & UMA MODI
Rear left plaque (south): DONORS / RAJIV-AMY, DHARMESH-AMI MEHTA / MADHUKER & GITA, DINA MEHTA / LALIT RAKHA SAPNA SUMEET BANKER / TRIANGLE GUJARATI ASSOCIATION - NC / HINDI VIKAS MANDAL / SOUTHEASTERN NC ASIAN INDIAN ASSO / DRS. PAVAN SUJATA YERRAMSETTY / SAJJAN & ASHA AGARWAL / DR. RAJAT CHANDER / HEMA & NUTAN SHAH / DR. BALUBHAI & INDIRA PATEL / SHIVA PRIYA SHIVA RIA RAGHUNANAN / KIRIT & KALINDRI PADIA / DR. PANKAJ & ANJU VYAS / GORDON SMITH / DR. DEVALAPALLI / PATEL PIYUSH & SULBA, BHAVIN / RADHA, CHUNILAL & SAVITA PATEL
Forward left plaque (south): DONORS / MR. VASANT & PRABHA SEJPAL / DR. PRASHANT & POONAM PATEL / BHUPENDRA & VASUDHA GUPTA / DR. ARVIND & PARUL JARIWALA / DR. ISH & ANU; ISHANI & SHIVANI SUD / MR. OM P JAIN & MRS. MALA JAIN / DR. PRIYAVADAN & HARSHA SHAH / DR. DHIREN & JAYNA SHAH / RATNA, RAMA & ROJA GARIMELLA / DR. SUNIL & AMRITA DESAI / DR. PRATIK & FALGUNI DESAI / DR. JANAK & GIRA CHOKSI / DR. ANANT CHANDRA AMY MONA SONI / SUNJAY NEENA SOHAN & SOPHIA SHAH / MULCHAND & MADHU PATEL / SANJAY, PAMELA MUNDRA / SAMIR, NILAM & SELEENA DESAI
Gandhi Statue Project
February 3, 2007
35.779570 , -78.636130
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Yes
Cement, bronze
The statue project was facilitated by the IAFPE (Indian American Forum for Political Education), North Carolina chapter. The undertook large fundraising efforts under the project theme of "Enriching Lives; Building Community" and, ultimately, achieved their goal of raising $85,000 by October 2006. The project also provides funds for the maintenance of the statue.
It was announced that the statue of Mahatma Gandhi arrived in the United States in July of 2006. Subsequently, a dedicated ceremony was scheduled for February 3, 2007. At the ceremony, Dr. Arvind Shah spoke and unveiled the statue alongside Raleigh mayor, Charles Meeker, and Chairman of county commissioners, Tony Gurley.
Mohandas Gandhi is known worldwide for his nonviolent form of passive resistance. He is frequently referred to as Mahatma ("the great-souled one") and became the leading figures in India's efforts to gain independence from Great Britain.
The statue project was initiated in the summer of 2005 and involved the Indian American community and its leaders, Indian American Cultural and Business Organizations, BAPS volunteers, Entrepreneurs from Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., and the EXPLORIS/Marbles Kids Museum.
Fundraising efforts were largely comprised of four activities:
(1) The screening of "Mystic India" at the EXPLORIS Museum's IMAX theatre
(2) The Gandhi Walk-A-Thon, known as Steps of Peace
(3) A fundraising dinner and music charity event hosted by the Heritage India Association of North Carolina
(4) An event involving Indian folk dances and fashion show
The statue stands between a public parking area and the Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The statue stands off of a walkway leading to the EXPLORIS museum/Marbles Kids Museum. It is surrounded by small decorative landscaping and nearby trees as well as ground-level lighting.
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