A Rotary memorial for corona warriors in Mumbai
As a fitting tribute to those working tirelessly during the pandemic, RC Bombay Airport, RID 3141, has installed a memorial sculpture for corona warriors at a fuel outlet in Bandra West, Mumbai. The sculpture mounted on a pedestal is made of black granite and depicts six frontline workers, namely, a doctor, policeman, nurse, conservancy staff, journalist and an engineer.
The sculpture was conceived by club president Nitin Mehta and carved by Rtn Minali Thakkar, a renowned artist. Project director Rahul Patel oversaw the construction. While the globe in the sculpture represents the Earth, the multitude of human palms on it symobolises the united contribution of human beings in the fight against the virus. The leaf behind each corona warrior suggests that they are ‘safe guardians of life’. Several ‘thank you’ and ‘salute you’ are carved on stainless steel plates at the lower half of corona warriors’ torso. The texts are written in global and regional languages.
LEDs at vantage points shine light on the corona warriors painted in six bright colours. Glass fibre-reinforced cement (GRC) and stainless steel were used to give a radiant look to the sculpture which weighs 1,500 kg. The project took 14 months to complete and the club spent ₹22 lakh, raised through member contributions.
Bandra West legislator Ashish Shelar unveiled the memorial in the presence of the then DG Sunnil Mehra, Mehta, club secretary Apurva Patel and other Rotarians. Some corona warriors were felicitated by the club on the occasion.
