A statue of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, in a report by Deccan Herald, is said to be the tallest in the world at 206 feet, with the report adding that this measurement is with respect to the complete structure including the pedestal (Deccan Herald, “Jagan Mohan Reddy to unveil tallest Ambedkar statue of justice in Vijayawada”, January 2024). Several statues of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar are located in various countries including India, the U.S., and the U.K. This listing describes some of the more prominent ones, explains various aspects related to height of these structures, and outlines what is known and what is not known. This is not an exhaustive listing.
Tallest Ambedkar statue: Vijayawada
The tallest Ambedkar statue (206 feet) in Vijayawada was inaugurated on 19 January, 2024, by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (Wikipedia, “Statue of Social Justice”; Utkarsh, “206 ft. tall Dr. Ambedkar’s Statue of Justice Unveiled in AP”). According to The Mooknayak, this statue consists of an 81 feet high pedestal and a 125 feet high figure of Dr. Ambedkar, thereby bringing the total height to 206 feet. It is constructed at a cost of approximately Rs. 404.35 crore (Bharat Directory) and is a part of a memorial park of 18.81 acres. It is believed to be the tallest of the various Ambedkar statues (Wikipedia; Anantam IAS).
How the height is counted
Rankings depend on if the pedestal is included. Vijayawada’s 206 feet is the total height, with an 81-foot base, and the figure of Ambedkar is 125 feet (The Mooknayak; Deccan Herald). Before this statue, the tallest was in Hyderabad, and that is also described as 125 feet, and a list of tallest statues in India gives that figure as 175 feet, making it the second tallest (Wikipedia, “List of the tallest statues in India”). The figure itself is the same in both statues. If you are measuring the whole structure, Vijayawada is taller. One exam-prep website says the Hyderabad statue is “the tallest bronze-only likeness,” and the Vijayawada statue is taller by total height (Anantam IAS). That point does not match the 125-foot figure given to both statues, so see the log.
Ambedkar statue Hyderabad
The Hyderabad statue was opened on April 14, 2023, the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, by the Chief Minister of Telangana, K. Chandrashekar Rao (Wikipedia; India Today, as cited by Wikipedia). It is described as a 125-foot statue (Wikipedia). Before the opening of the Vijayawada statue in 2024, it was the tallest Ambedkar statue in the world (The Mooknayak). Our Ambedkar Jayanti guide explains why April 14 is celebrated.
Statue of Equality: America’s tallest Ambedkar statue
On October 14, 2023 (Deccan Chronicle, “From Vijayawada’s Giant Statue to World Landmarks,” The Mooknayak), the Ambedkar International Center in Maryland, USA, unveiled the Statue of Equality. At 19 feet, it is the second-tallest Ambedkar statue (after the Statue of Equality in Vietnam) and the tallest outside of India (The Mooknayak). Ram Sutar, the sculptor, also made the Statue of Unity in Gujarat (Deccan Chronicle). October 14 is also the day that Ambedkar took his last journey to Buddhism in 1956, as noted in our post Navayana Buddhism.
Other statues in the U.K. and universities
As noted in the Deccan Chronicle, other statues of Ambedkar are located at the London School of Economics and at Columbia University in the USA, Koyasan University in Japan and Simon Fraser University in Canada. Our post, Ambedkar at Columbia, describes his time at the university.
Other countries with statues of Ambedkar
The Deccan Chronicle mentions other countries have statues of Ambedkar, such as Azerbaijan, Hungary, Mauritius, Australia (Melbourne), Vietnam and Thailand. As I could not find additional information about these statues, I will not discuss them further.
Why statues of Ambedkar matter
Statues of Ambedkar provide places for community remembrance. Large statues made by governments are depicted as tokens of social justice. At the time of unveiling in Vijayawada, the Chief Minister said the statue was of a man who rebelled against untouchability and took education to the oppressed classes (Deccan Herald). For information on the life of Ambedkar please see our biography. Our guide on who the Dalits are may be of use to explain the community that is the focal point for many of these statues. I could find little to no reliable sources on public debate about cost or siting, so no claims on these will be made in this guide. (Communities documenting their own history have started to use blogging, AI tools and email marketing and these skills will help write Ambedkar biographies. The Ambedkar Educational Program was started to teach these skills).
Takeaway
As of January 2024, the tallest Ambedkar statue was in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, and is referred to as the Statue of Social Justice. The whole structure measures 206 feet, of which the figure is 125 feet and the pedestal 81 feet. The 125 foot figure of the statue in Hyderabad (opened April 2023) is smaller than the figure in Vijayawada, though the whole structure is 175 feet. The 19 foot figure in Maryland (October 2023) is the tallest outside India and is referred to as the ‘Statue of Equality.’ Several other Ambedkar statues have been installed in Universities and other countries. There is a lot of variation in measurement and this list is not exhaustive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the tallest statue of Ambedkar?
In Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. It is 206 feet (125 feet figure, 81 feet pedestal) and is also known as the ‘Statue of Social Justice.’
What is the Ambedkar statue in Hyderabad?
An over 125 foot tall statue unveiled on April 14, 2023, with a base that brings it to about 175 feet. With that, it is the second tallest statue in India.
Is there an Ambedkar statue in America?
Yes. The 19-foot Statue of Equality in Maryland near Washington DC was unveiled on October 14, 2023. It is the tallest Ambedkar statue outside India.
Is there an Ambedkar statue in London?
Yes. The main London site is Ambedkar House. One source lists the London School of Economics among universities with Ambedkar statues. See our London guide for more information.
Who created the Statue of Equality in Maryland?
It was created by the same Sculptor Ram Sutar who created the Statue of Unity in Gujarat.
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SOURCES
- Deccan Herald, “Jagan Mohan Reddy to unveil tallest Ambedkar statue of justice in Vijayawada,” January 18, 2024
- The Mooknayak, “At 206 feet, World’s Tallest Ambedkar Statue Unveiled in Vijayawada,” January 2024
- Deccan Chronicle, “From Vijayawada’s Giant Statue to World Landmarks”
- Wikipedia, “Statue of Social Justice”
- Wikipedia, “Statue of B. R. Ambedkar, Hyderabad”
- Wikipedia, “List of the tallest statues in India”
- Utkarsh, “206-ft tall Dr. Ambedkar’s Statue of Justice Unveiled in AP”
- Bharat Directory, “World’s tallest statue of BR Ambedkar will be unveiled in Vijayawada today,” January 19, 2024
- Anantam IAS, “Statue of Social Justice, Vijayawada: Ambedkar Memorial Facts and Significance”
