President Murmu Unveils Bust of C. Rajagopalachari at Rashtrapati Bhavan

President Droupadi Murmu unveiled a bust of C. Rajagopalachari, the first and only Indian Governor-General of independent India, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The bust has been installed at the Grand Open Staircase near Ashok Mandap, opposite the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, replacing the earlier bust of Edwin Lutyens. The initiative is part of ongoing efforts to shed colonial-era symbols and celebrate India’s cultural heritage.

Rajaji Utsav & Exhibition

Later, the President attended the Rajaji Utsav at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre and visited a photo and book exhibition on Rajaji’s life and work. The exhibition will be open to the public from February 24 to March 1, 2026, at Amrit Udyan.

About C. Rajagopalachari

• On 14 July 1937, He assumed the office of the Prime Minister of the then Madras Province.
• In 1937, he backed compulsory Hindi in the Madras Presidency, sparking a reaction. This was at the heart of the first anti-Hindi feeling in the state.
• First and only Indian Governor-General of India after independence.
• Led the historic Vedaranyam Salt March in the Madras Presidency.
• Served as Governor of West Bengal and later as India’s Home Minister.
• Founder of the Swatantra Party in 1959.
• Awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1954, becoming the first recipient of India’s highest civilian honour.
• Led a delegation of the Gandhi Peace Foundation to the U.S. in 1962 advocating a nuclear test ban.