Guwahati, Dec 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday unveiled a statue of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi, Assam’s first Chief Minister, at Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati. The ceremony was attended by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.

Assam CM Sarma hailed the event as a moment of pride, calling Bardoloi the architect of modern Assam and crediting him with preventing the state’s merger with East Pakistan under the grouping plan. The statue, crafted by renowned sculptor Ram Sutar, is placed at the airport’s entrance, highlighting Bardoloi’s legacy.

During the visit, PM Modi also inaugurated the airport’s new terminal building, designed to handle 13.1 million passengers annually and showcase sustainable, technology-driven operations. Civil Aviation Minister Naidu praised the terminal’s architecture for reflecting Assam’s natural and cultural heritage.