India, Feb. 24 -- British architect Edwin Lutyens statue at the Rashtrapati Bhavan was on Monday replaced with the bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first and only Indian Governor General of independent India, as part of a move aimed at shedding the vestiges of a colonial mindset.

President Droupadi Murmu unveiled Rajagopalachari's bust at the Grand Open Staircase near Ashok Mandap opposite the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, during an event attended by Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, among others.

The initiative is part of a series of steps being taken towards shedding the vestiges of the colonial mindset and embracing, with pride, the richness of India's culture, heritage, and timeless traditions, a statement issued by the President...