The world's tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, is a magnificent megastructure

Abolitionist for Indian independence and the nation's first deputy prime minister, Vallabhbhai Patel was born in Gujarat in 1875. Patel, who collaborated with Mahatma Gandhi, was instrumental in the nonviolent civil disobedience that led to India's eventual independence from British colonial authority in 1947. He is frequently referred to as the "Iron Man of India" because of his unwavering resolve and leadership.

The Statue of Unity, which has a whopping $422 million construction cost, is made of steel-framed reinforced concrete and is coated in bronze. Despite its enormous size, it has been built to withstand winds up to 50 meters (164 feet) per second and is a building that can withstand earthquakes.

After it was finished, the Statue of Unity surpassed the Spring Temple Buddha in China by 54 meters (177 feet), claiming the title of biggest statue in the world. Take a look at how his toes measure up to the size of some visitors to get an idea of its magnitude:

When Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he unveiled the massive initiative to erect the monument in October of that year. It was completed in October 2018 to commemorate Patel's 143rd birthday, by which time Modi had become prime minister of India.

In an effort to promote India's past and a strong sense of Hindu identity, Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been eager to co-opt heroes of the independence fight, such as Patel.

At the statue's installation, Prime Minister Modi remarked, "The statue will serve as a reminder to those who doubt India's existence that this nation was, is, and always will be eternal."

"The statue's height serves as a reminder to young people that the country's future will be just as vast as this. It also represents the affordability of our engineering and technology, he continued.

Even though the monument was meant to be a representation of national togetherness, not everyone supported its creation. At least 300 protesters were detained the day before the monument was formally unveiled for their anti-statue demonstration. Some claimed that the project solely benefitted the tourism sector and construction contractors, not local inhabitants, when it was reported that the development forced farmers and adjacent communities to relocate.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, known as the "Father of the Indian Navy," built a potent naval force after realizing the need of maritime transportation and security. As a result, he has played a key role in the growth of the nation. The Maharashtra government suggested building a large-scale statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Mumbai as the "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial" or "Shiv Smarak" to honor his ideas, qualities, and contributions to India.

In a same vein, Gujarat, India, just saw the erection of Sardar Patel's statue, The Statue of Unity, in 2018. With a height of 182 meters (600 feet), the statue, which symbolizes Indian unity, is now the highest statue in the world. Even taller than the Statue of Unity, the ambitious Shiv Smarak is anticipated to reach a height of 212 m, demonstrating India's prowess in design and construction throughout the world.

However, the title of biggest statue in the world may not belong to the Statue of Unity for much longer. India has made plans to erect a monument that might reach a height of 212 meters (696 feet) on a man-made island in the Arabian Sea, not far from Mumbai. Its name, Shiv Smarak, refers to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a military monarch from India who established the Maratha Empire in the 17th century. Although it was anticipated that the monument would be done by 2022, no opening date has been set.