Statue of Sister Nivedita to be unveiled in Wimbledon on July 1

According to a spokesperson from the Sister Nivedita Celebrations Committee, a statue honouring Sister Nivedita, the Irish-born educator and advocate of India’s nationalism, who was also a devoted disciple of Swami Vivekananda, will be revealed on July 1 at Wimbledon in England.

The bronze statue, standing at a height of 6.2 ft above an octagonal plinth, was designed by Swami Vishwamayanandaji, the secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama of Sargachhi.

It was fabricated and cast in India by artiste Nirjan De, Sarada Sarkar of the Sister Nivedita Celebrations Committee said in a statement from UK.

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“The formal inauguration of the statue will take place on July 1, 2023 …. This statue will not only commemorate Sister Nivedita’s extraordinary life and work but will also foster stronger ties between the UK and India,” she said.

The statue will stand as a testament to sister Nivedita’s remarkable contribution and will serve as an inspiration for generations to come, she said.

Sister Nivedita, born Margaret Elizabeth Noble (1867-1911), had founded a school in Wimbledon before dedicating her life in the service of people in India at the behest of her spiritual guru Swami Vivekananda.

She had played a pivotal role in ushering women’s education and was actively involved in the nationalist movement in India.

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“This statue will be located prominently in front of Richards Lodge High School for Girls, paying tribute to Sister Nivedita’s legacy as a strong and independent educator of women. The statue will face southeast, towards Bengal, symbolizing the connection between the two regions.

Earlier a half-bust statue of Sister Nivedita had been installed at her family cemetery at Great Torrington in Devonshire in the UK.

Sarkar said the project was made possible through a successful crowdfunding campaign by Sister Nivedita Celebrations Committee in the UK. The London Borough of Merton provided the essential support, Marcus Beale Architects, in collaboration with LB Merton, oversaw the selection of the location, obtained the necessary consent and directed the installation carried out by F M Conway.

“The generous donation of the statue and plinth came from Ramakrishna Vivekananda Kendra, Bidhan Nagar and Chanchal Dey and Satyajit Chakrabarty of the University of Engineering and Management in Kolkata,” she said.

(With agency inputs)