Pictures of Mahatma Gandhi statue for Parliament Square released

The prestigious statue of Mahatma Gandhi, to be placed at Parliament Square, in London, is fast nearing completion.

Following the success of its planning application, the charity behind the sculpture, Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust, set up by Lord Desai, has released images of the full sized clay sculpture that will be used to cast the statue.

The Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust expects the final bronze statue to be in place early next year. This will tie in with the 100th anniversary of Gandhi's return to India from South Africa.

Statues in Britain are traditionally funded through public support and the Trust is busily collecting donations from Gandhi's admirers around the world to fund the production of the statue.

"Gandhi is admired by people across the globe who are contributing small and large amounts to be part of this historic monument," Lord Desai, founder of the Gandhi Statue Memorial Trust, said,

He appealed to all who admire Gandhi to join him in this iconic enterprise by giving what they can for the Gandhi statue, through their website www.gandhistatue.org.

"I am delighted planning permission has been given for this wonderful monument to the father of the world's largest democracy. Britain has a proud history of great figures being honoured with statues paid for by public subscription," Sajid Javid, secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport and chair of the Gandhi Statue Special Advisory Panel said.

After viewing the clay sculpture, along with other members of the advisory council, including Lord Meghnad Desai and Lord Navnit Dholakia, the Indian High Commissioner, Ranjan Mathai said, "We are really looking forward to having the sculpture of Mahatma Gandhiji in Parliament Square."

The statue has been created by the award winning sculptor, Philip Jackson, who is known for his remarkable sculpture of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, among others.

Jackson says he chose the image of Mahatma Gandhi standing outside Downing Street in 1931, as he thought that would be most appropriate for Parliament Square. It depicts the Mahatma contemplative, determined yet compassionate, without a stick, draped in a heavy shawl against the British climate, but bare legged.

Jackson also said that he went through a number of photographs and then made an 'an amalgam of them to create a timeless image'.