The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, will dedicate to the nation the 'National Salt Satyagraha Memorial' at Dandi, Gujarat at 4 pm on January 30. A project of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial (NSSM), built in collaboration with the IIT Bombay, was announced by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2005 during the 75th anniversary of the Dandi Salt March movement. The memorial is a tribute to the 80 marchers who accompanied Mahatma Gandhi from Sabarmati to Dandi in 1930.
IIT Bombay's association with the NSSM began because of IIT Bombay's pioneering research in renewable energy. The Memorial is being powered by solar energy and is a Zero Energy project in keeping with the Gandhian ideal of sustainability, said a statement from IIT Bombay.
Prof Juser Vasi initiated IIT Bombay's contribution towards the solar energy needs of the project and Prof Kirti Trivedi conceptualized the design and ably guided the art aspects of the NSSM.
A 15-feet high bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was created by eminent sculptor Mr Sadashiv Sathe
Several other members of the faculty, students and staff at IIT Bombay made key contributions in this collaborative effort.
The design of the NSSM has art and technological aspects include the statues of 81 marchers, 24 narrative murals, main statue of Gandhiji, an artificial lake, solar trees and a salt-making activity for visitors.
National Salt Satyagraha Memorial (NSSM)
The sculptures of 80 full-size Dandi Marchers' were created through the voluntary combined efforts of the creative community - both national and international. It included 48 sculptors, selected through a world-wide call for participation who worked together during the workshops at IIT Bombay under the guidance of IDC and experienced resource persons.
The Memorial is being powered by solar energy and is a Zero Energy project.
A 15-feet high bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was created by eminent sculptor Mr Sadashiv Sathe.
The statue of the Mahatma intends to project the forceful forward march of a great leader leading the people towards freedom from exploitation and injustice.
The NSSM also has 24 narrative murals depicting events from the march from Sabarmati to Dandi.
The murals were created with guidance by a team of sculptors led by Prof Shanthi Swaroopini, JNAFAU, Hyderabad and cast in silicon bronze by Studio Sukriti, Jaipur.
The team of sculptors interacted extensively with a team from IIT Bombay and members from the High Level Dandi Memorial Committee (HLDMC) for the creation of these murals.
Professors from IIT Bombay put in their years of research and experience to work on the various components of the monument in a spirit of 'shramdhan' to conceive and build a monument of National importance.
The team of sculptors interacted extensively with a team from IIT Bombay and members from the High Level Dandi Memorial Committee (HLDMC) for the creation of these murals.
Professors from the IDC School of Design worked and coordinated all the art components, the sculpture of the marchers, the Glass Cube on the 40 meter A-pillar and the narrative murals while the Professors from the Electrical Engineering Department worked on the aspects of 'the net-zero energy consumption' Solar Trees.
48 sculptors, selected through a world-wide call for participation who worked together during the workshops at IIT Bombay.
The team from the Civil Engineering Department worked on the 'non-permeable' and 'geotextile' Artificial Lake and the structures, the Professors from the Physics Department worked on the lasers for lighting the glass crystal, Professors from the Material Science and Metallurgy Department suggested materials and coatings for the memorial to make it rust-proof and durable and finally, the Professors from the Earth Sciences Department worked on the quality and longevity of the various rocks used in the memorial.
Solar trees, Salt making pans and technology-enabled guided tour at the memorial complex Energy for the entire memorial is generated from 41 solar trees developed by IIT Bombay and installed at the site.
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