By Laasheni Ghobi
TORONTO, 19 August 2025: In a significant moment for the Hindu community, North America’s tallest Lord Ram idol was unveiled today at the Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga. The 51-foot-tall statue, which rests on a seven-foot pedestal, is now an immediate landmark, visible to flights landing at nearby Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by thousands of people, including several federal cabinet ministers like Maninder Sidhu and Rechie Valdez, as well as opposition leader Andrew Scheer, highlighting the project’s broad political support. Acting Consul General Kapidhwaja Pratap Singh also represented the Indian government.
The project, which took four years to complete, was made possible by a donation from Indo-Canadian business leader Laj Prasher. According to the centre’s founder, Acharya Surinder Sharma Shastri, the statue is a “spiritual gift to the community, a reminder that righteousness must always guide our path.”
Crafted in Delhi and assembled by local artisans in Canada, the fiberglass idol with a steel superstructure is engineered to withstand winds of up to 200 km/hr and is expected to last for a century. Principal organizer Kushagr Sharma noted the event’s profound impact, with over 10,000 attendees gathering for the unveiling. The ceremony concluded with a shower of flower petals, symbolizing a blessing upon this new spiritual icon.
