Mysuru, July 30 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will receive a special gift from Sri Ramakrishna Ashram during his visit to Mysuru on Aug. 1: A single-stone miniature marble statue of Swami Vivekananda sculpted by renowned artist Arun Yogiraj.

Carved in just 15 days, the statue weighs about 8.5 kg and stands 1.5 feet tall. Sculpted from a single block of white Vietnamese marble, it is modelled on the iconic Swami Vivekananda statue at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Arun Yogiraj's wife, Vijetha, said Vietnamese marble was chosen because Makrana marble from Rajasthan, traditionally used for such sculptures presented to VVIPs, is not available.

"The statue weighs 8.5 kg and is 1.5 feet tall. My h...