New Delhi, February 23 – President Droupadi Murmu graced the ‘Rajaji Utsav’ at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre on Monday and unveiled the bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, India’s first and only Indian Governor-General, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
In a post on X, the President stated, “The bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, located on the Grand Open Staircase near Ashok Mandap, replaces the bust of Edwin Lutyens. This initiative is part of a series of steps being taken to move beyond colonial-era mindsets and embrace, with pride, the richness of India’s culture, heritage, timeless traditions, and honour those who served Bharat Mata with their extraordinary contributions.”
The President highlighted that this move symbolizes a broader national effort to move beyond colonial-era legacies and recognize prominent Indian leaders who played pivotal roles in shaping the country’s history. Rajagopalachari, popularly known as Rajaji, was a prominent freedom fighter, statesman, and scholar who served as the last Governor-General of India from 1948 to 1950.
Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers Jagat Prakash Nadda, Minister of External Affairs Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan, and family members of Rajaji.
Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan's official X handle also shared a post: “Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan attended the ‘Rajaji Utsav’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan today, where the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, unveiled the bust of Shri C. Rajagopalachari, replacing that of Edwin Lutyens, marking another significant milestone in our journey of breaking away from the colonial legacy.”
The event underscored the government’s continued emphasis on honouring national icons and reinforcing India’s cultural and historical identity within key institutions of the Republic.