NEW DELHI: The timing of installation of C Rajagopalachari’s bust replacing Edward Lutyens at Rashtrapati Bhawan gains significance as the southern state is going for polls in next few months where BJP has struggled to make major inroads. The invitees to Monday’s event also included “guests from Tamil Nadu”.The replacement of Lutyens bust with Rajaji serves a dual purpose — it strengthens the govt’s anti-colonial narrative at national level and in Tamil Nadu, it signals honouring a Tamil statesman by placing his bust in the residence of the head of state.In his address at the programme, education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Rajaji was a symbol of Indian civilisation and the sacred ‘sengol’, which has been placed in Parliament was a realisation of his vision. Rajaji was pivotal in sourcing the ‘sengol’ scepter to symbolise the 1947 transfer of power from British to Indian hands. Drawing from Chola dynasty tradition, he had suggested this golden sceptre, created by Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, to represent righteous rule and the authority handover to Jawaharlal Nehru.The sengol was placed in the Lok Sabha in the new Parliament when it was inaugurated in 2023 and it was seen as an outreach to Tamil identity. Govt has also organised the Kashi Tamil Sangamam at Varanasi, linking the temple town in Uttar Pradesh with Tamil scholars and people to highlight cultural ties.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia’s Biggest Airport At Jewar To Be Opened By PM Modi, UP CM Yogi Announces In SingaporeRahul Meets ‘Mohammad Deepak’ Who Confronted Bajrang Dal Members; Defended Muslim ShopkeeperB’desh Prez Accuses Yunus Of Conspiring To Destabilize Dhaka; Outrage Over BJP Leader’s Communal ActIndia-Israel FTA Negotiations Underway, Could Conclude This Year, Says Israeli Envoy“BrahMos Precise Strike Left People Shaken…”: UP CM Yogi Makes Big Claim On Operation SindoorBangladesh PM Tarique Rahman Begins Tenure With Major Military Reset And India Adviser ReturnIndia Launches Baku Evenings In Azerbaijan, Showcases Sanskrit Hindi And Cultural Soft PowerLCA Tejas Grounded After Technical Snag? Why Every LCA Incident Hurts IAF StrengthNirmala Sitharaman Reacts To US Tariff Ruling, Says It Is Premature To Comment On India ImpactIndian Army, J&K Police Reveal How Saifullah Group Was Eliminated In Op Trashi-1 In Kishtwar123PhotostoriesSanjay Leela Bhansali birthday special: Masterpieces like ‘Khamoshi,’ ‘Devdas,’ and ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ to stream on OTTBenefits of keeping Peacock feather in office5 most expensive streets in the world with skyrocketing real estate prices10000 kg rotten dates and 13972 litres of adulterated oil seized in Kanpur: FSSAI’s oil purity tests to try at homeDipika Kakar celebrates 8th wedding anniversary with Shoaib Ibrahim amid new health scare; says, ‘While dealing with cancer, recurrence brings many thoughts about family, kids’5 performance features that define a true adventure motorbikeInside India’s 4th Richest NRI Anil Agarwal’s Mayfair Residence: Where heritage architecture meets modern innovationRamadan 2026:How to make Bawarchi-style Mutton Dal Gosht for dinnerBenefits of keeping rock salt bowls at home10 most stunning national birds from around the world123Hot PicksDelhi-Meerut RRTSIDFC First Bank shareGold rate todayEl Mencho deathIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays February 2026Bank Holidays februaryTop TrendingEl Mencho DeathAlysa Liu familyIDFC First Bank StockTejas Aircraft CrashPatna Wedding ShootingTambaram Park ProjectIDFC BankSupreme Court VerdictBengaluru Chennai ExpresswayAnil Ambani
NEW DELHI: The timing of installation of C Rajagopalachari’s bust replacing Edward Lutyens at Rashtrapati Bhawan gains significance as the southern state is going for polls in next few months where BJP has struggled to make major inroads. The invitees to Monday’s event also included “guests from Tamil Nadu”.The replacement of Lutyens bust with Rajaji serves a dual purpose — it strengthens the govt’s anti-colonial narrative at national level and in Tamil Nadu, it signals honouring a Tamil statesman by placing his bust in the residence of the head of state.In his address at the programme, education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Rajaji was a symbol of Indian civilisation and the sacred ‘sengol’, which has been placed in Parliament was a realisation of his vision. Rajaji was pivotal in sourcing the ‘sengol’ scepter to symbolise the 1947 transfer of power from British to Indian hands. Drawing from Chola dynasty tradition, he had suggested this golden sceptre, created by Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, to represent righteous rule and the authority handover to Jawaharlal Nehru.The sengol was placed in the Lok Sabha in the new Parliament when it was inaugurated in 2023 and it was seen as an outreach to Tamil identity. Govt has also organised the Kashi Tamil Sangamam at Varanasi, linking the temple town in Uttar Pradesh with Tamil scholars and people to highlight cultural ties.
