New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu Monday unveiled the bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first and only Indian Governor General of independent India, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Bhubaneswar.
The initiative is part of a series of steps being taken towards shedding vestiges of colonial mindset, the President’s secretariat said.
Rajagopalachari’s bust at the grand open staircase near Ashok Mandap in Rahstrapati Bhavan replaces that of Edwin Lutyens, the main architect of several structures in New Delhi.
“This initiative is part of series of steps being taken towards shedding the vestiges of colonial mindset and embracing, with pride, the richness of India’s culture, heritage, timeless traditions and honouring those who served Bharat Mata with their extraordinary contributions,” the President’s Secretariat said on X.
President Droupadi Murmu unveiled bust of Shri Chakravarti Rajagopalachari Ji, the first and only Indian Governor General of independent India at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, situated at the Grand Open Staircase near Ashok Mandap, replaces the bust… pic.twitter.com/xEkZHcwVhA— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) February 23, 2026
Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, Minister of Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan and family members of Rajagopalachari.
PTI