A life-size statue of the Khasi legendary freedom fighter – U Tirot Sing Syiem will soon be erected at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Informing this via a video conferencing, arts and culture minister Paul Lyngdoh said that the high commissioner of India to Bangladesh Pranay Verma had written to him informing that they had agreed with the proposal of the government of Meghalaya for setting up a memorial of U Tirot Sing – a prominent freedom fighter and leader of Khasi people who fought against British and passed away in Dhaka.
Verma had informed that the high commission of India in Dhaka has taken up the proposal with the ministry of external affairs and ICCR and has highlighted the importance of establishing such a memorial at IGCC, Dhaka.
In line with the celebration of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mohotsav in Bangladesh, the library of IGCC located at Dhanmondi would be a befitting location to install the life-size sculpture/bust and portrait of U Tirot Sing, he said.
Lyngdoh said that the high commissioner of India to Bangladesh also, in addition, suggested that the library may be re-named as U Tirot Sing Memorial Library so as to spread the history and legacy of the prominent freedom fighter among the younger generation.
He said the government of Meghalaya would soon coordinate with the director, IGCC in Dhaka for delivery of the proposed sculpture/bust and portrait for installation, after which a suitable ceremony could be planned with high-level participation from the state of Meghalaya.
“We target to complete the entire process by November or December, this year,” the minister added.
Further, Lyngdoh also said that the government would also seek the assistance of noted educationist David Syiemlieh to access all documents related to U Tirot Sing like the date of his arrest and his passing away, from London for display at the IGCC library.
He said that the construction of a life-size statue and getting a library in Bangladesh named after the legendary freedom fighter of the region is indeed a huge achievement for Meghalaya.
