<p>A sword weighing 4,000 kg that will adorn a 108-feet statue of Bengaluru founder Kempegowda arrived here from Delhi on Monday.</p>.<p>The sword arrived in a special truck and was welcomed with traditional rituals by Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, who is also vice-chairman of the Kempegowda Development Authority.</p>.<p>The government is spending Rs 85 crore on the Kempegowda statue. It will come up on a 23-acre space near the Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli, which will be a heritage park dedicated to the 16th century chieftain.</p>.<p>The statue is expected to be ready this year.</p>.<p>Renowned sculptor and Padma Bhushan awardee Ram Vanji Sutar is designing the Kempegowda statue. Sutar also designed the 597-feet Statue of Unity in Gujarat and the 27-feet Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Vidhana Soudha premises.</p>.<p>“Kempegowda’s sword signifies valour and a new India,” Narayan said. While Kempegowda is a cultural icon, the chieftain also gives the ruling BJP an opportunity to woo the dominant Vokkaliga community to which he belonged.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>A sword weighing 4,000 kg that will adorn a 108-feet statue of Bengaluru founder Kempegowda arrived here from Delhi on Monday.</p>.<p>The sword arrived in a special truck and was welcomed with traditional rituals by Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, who is also vice-chairman of the Kempegowda Development Authority.</p>.<p>The government is spending Rs 85 crore on the Kempegowda statue. It will come up on a 23-acre space near the Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli, which will be a heritage park dedicated to the 16th century chieftain.</p>.<p>The statue is expected to be ready this year.</p>.<p>Renowned sculptor and Padma Bhushan awardee Ram Vanji Sutar is designing the Kempegowda statue. Sutar also designed the 597-feet Statue of Unity in Gujarat and the 27-feet Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Vidhana Soudha premises.</p>.<p>“Kempegowda’s sword signifies valour and a new India,” Narayan said. While Kempegowda is a cultural icon, the chieftain also gives the ruling BJP an opportunity to woo the dominant Vokkaliga community to which he belonged.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
