President Murmu Honors Rajaji's Legacy of Mental Decolonisation at Utsav

The President, on Monday, graced the Utsav and recalled Rajaji as an inspiring example of mental decolonisation.

In a post on X, the official handle of Rashtrapati Bhavan informed that as a part of the Rajaji Utsav, an exhibition on the life and work of Rajaji is being organised from February 24 to March 1, 2026, at the President's House.

"The President said that when Rajaji arrived at the Government House (now known as Rashtrapati Bhavan), he placed portraits of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Mahatma Gandhi in his room. Rajaji sent a clear message that while India was formally still a Dominion, Swaraj had been fully established in the hearts of Indians. Thus, Rajaji set an inspiring example of mental decolonisation. His ideals are reflected in the national campaign adopted by the people of India to take pride in India's heritage and eliminate the vestiges of a colonial mindset," the post read.

Earlier in the day, President Droupadi Murmu unveiled a bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first and only Indian Governor General of independent India, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, situated at the Grand Open Staircase near Ashok Mandap, replaces the bust of Edwin Lutyens.

The President's official handle on X posted, "This initiative is part of a series of steps being taken towards shedding the vestiges of the colonial mindset and embracing, with pride, the richness of India's culture, heritage, timeless traditions and honouring those who served Bharat Mata with their extraordinary contributions."

This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that the "Rajaji Festival" will be celebrated in Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday with the unveiling of the statue of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari.

C Rajaopalachari was born on December 10, 1878, in Madras Presidency. He was a lawyer and intellectual among many other things. He is regarded as an early political comrade of Mahatma Gandhi, who left his legal practice to join the Indian National Congress and later participated in various protests against the British Crown.

Most popularly, Rajagopalachari agitated against the Rowlatt Act, non-cooperation, and the Civil Disobedience movement.

He was elected to the Constituent Assembly from Madras on a Congress ticket. He was part of the sub-committee on minorities and was conferred with the Bharat Ratna in 1954.

- ANI