"I will unveil the hologram statue on 23rd January, Netaji's birth anniversary," PM Modi tweeted.
A statue of freedom icon Subhash Chandra Bose will be installed at India Gate in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared today in tweets. Until the statue is ready, a hologram of the Subhash Chandra Bose, or Netaji, will be put up at the spot, PM Modi said, sharing an image.
The Netaji statue will be 28 feet by 6 feet and will stand at the spot that once featured a statue of England's King George V. That statue was removed and shifted in 1968.
"At a time when the entire nation is marking the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, I am glad to share that his grand statue, made of granite, will be installed at India Gate. This would be a symbol of India's indebtedness to him," the Prime Minister said in tweets.
"Till the grand statue of Netaji Bose is completed, a hologram statue of his would be present at the same place. I will unveil the hologram statue on 23rd January, Netaji's birth anniversary," he added.
The government recently announced that Netaji's birth anniversary - January 23 - would mark the start of Republic Day celebrations instead of a day later.
Netaji's birthday was also named "Parakram Divas".
The announcement of a Netaji statue comes as changes to the India Gate area in the heart of the capital are already stirring up debate, controversy and questions.
The Republic Day celebrations will take place on a refurbished Rajpath, the ceremonial road connecting India Gate to the British-built Rashtrapati Bhawan.
The Amar Jawan Jyoti or eternal flame to honour for soldiers is being put out at India Gate after 50 years and merged with the torch at the new National War Memorial inaugurated in 2019.