On 11th December, Friday, it was reported that the final design of a statue commemorating Sikh soldiers of the Battle of Saragarhi is due to be unveiled in Wednesfield in Wolverhampton in September next year.
The 3m-high sculpture, by artist Luke Perry, is due to be erected as the clay model and will be painted in wax before being cast in bronze. Sikhs constitute almost 10% of Wolverhampton's population - almost 23,000 people - and this initiative has been spearheaded by Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal who aims to create awareness of the battle of Saragarhi which was fought on 12 September 1897 where 21 Sikhs died defending a British army post from 10,000 Afghan tribesmen. He is reportedly "thrilled" by the "wonderful memorial" and hoped it would encourage others to learn more about Saragarhi.
It is due to be unveiled in Well Lane, near the Guru Nanak Gurdwara, on 12 September 2021, the anniversary of the battle.
That sculpture has been displayed in neighbouring Smethwick since 2018. In a statement to the BBC, artist Luke Perry said, "With artworks like Saragarhi I want to create sculptures that are a visible marker of the under-represented but vital, real people in our communities. Because when you represent people you empower them."
