Mumbai, Feb 22 (PTI) The busts of 17 eminent citizens who were instrumental in the progress of Mumbai, including JRD Tata, Lata Mangeshkar, Dhirubhai Ambani and Times Group former chairman Ashok Jain, were unveiled on Thursday.
The unveiling event took place in Kilachand garden in south Mumbai’s Girgaon area in the presence of BJP national president JP Nadda and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Lauding the initiative to celebrate icons who shaped the financial and cultural capital of India, Times Group managing director Vineet Jain said, “It gives me immense pride to be standing here in the presence of such luminaries to acknowledge the recognition to my late father Shri Ashok Jain.” As Chairman of The Times of India Group, he had great affinity and affection for Mumbai, Jain added.
“The Times Group was not only headquartered here, but also initiated all its expansions, launching new newspapers and magazines from here itself during his lifetime. And thus, Mumbai was at the heart of so much of what he did and worked towards, while establishing one of Asia’s largest media companies,” he said.
“On behalf of our entire family and the larger Times Group, I would like to thank the efforts of (state minister Mangal Prabhat) Lodha and the Maharashtra government for this singular honour to our late father,” Jain said.
The 17 “heroes of Mumbai” whose busts were unveiled include Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Dadasaheb Phalke, Homi Bhabha, Sachin Tendulkar and Vinayak Savarkar.
State minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who conceived the idea, said the initiative aims to honour influential figures by unveiling their busts and acknowledging their contribution to Mumbai’s progress in various facets, such as economic prosperity, safety, and cultural enrichment.
It seeks to be a source of inspiration to Mumbaikars, Lodha said. PTI MR BNM BNM
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