India, June 7 -- Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday unveiled a 20-foot bronze statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji at the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), describing the monument as a "symbol of Maharashtra's pride and a source of inspiration" for travellers using the state's newest international gateway.

The unveiling ceremony was held on Shiv Rajyabhishek Day, commemorating the coronation of Shivaji in 1674. The installation comes nearly six months after the airport commenced commercial operations on December 25, 2025.

Fadnavis said the day marked the moment when "Swarajya got its chhatrapati" and when "the world accepted Hindavi swarajya".

"When we came to inspect the airport earlier, I had instructed that since this air...