New Delhi: A statue of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji has been installed on the bank of Pangong Tso lake in the eastern Ladakh sector by the Indian Army. The statue is installed at an altitude of 14,300 feet. The area where the statue is unveiled is close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) bordering China in the eastern Ladakh.
“On December 26, 2024, a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was unveiled on the banks of Pangong Tso lake at an altitude of 14,300 feet. The towering symbol of valour, vision and unwavering justice was opened by Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, SC, SM, VSM, GOC Fire and Fury Corps and Colonel of The Maratha Light Infantry. The unveiling of the statue celebrates the unwavering spirit of the Indian ruler, whose legacy remains a source of inspiration for generations,” the Indian Army’s Fire and Fury Corps said in a statement on its X handle.
SHRI CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ STATUE AT PANGONG TSO, LADAKH
On 26 Dec 2024, a majestic statue of Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was inaugurated on the banks of Pangong Tso at an altitude of 14,300 feet.
The towering symbol of valour, vision and unwavering justice was… pic.twitter.com/PWTVE7ndGX
— @firefurycorps_IA (@firefurycorps) December 28, 2024
Shivaji Maharaj source of inspiration
Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, the General Officer Commanding of the 14 Corps, unveiled the towering statue of Shivaji Maharaj on Thursday. The Army said that the unwavering spirit of the Shivaji Maharaj and his legacy remains a source of inspiration for generations.
The installation of Shivaji statue comes in the backdrop of India-China disengagement in Demchok and Depsang in the eastern Ladakh sector after four years of tense military standoff.
India-China disengagement process
In October 21, the two sides agreed to withdraw forces and military infrastructure from the friction points and complete the disengagement process. The tension between the forces of two countries took place on May 5, 2020 after a violent clash that led to the killing of several Indian and Chinese soldiers in Pangong lake area.
Following a series of diplomatic talks, the two countries completed the disengagement process in 2021 in the north and southern area of Pangong lake, according to a report in PTI.
