Maharajah Ranjit Singh’s statue to be ensconced in France

• Maharajah Ranjit Singh's statue to be installed at Saint-Tropez town in France
• The town is the birth place of Maharajah's Army General Jean-Francois Allard
• Henri Prevosat-Allard, Deputy Mayor of Saint-Tropez is the descendant of General Jean-Francois Allard who trained Maharajah's troops

Chandigarh, Apr 7: An offer was made by Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal to install a statue of Maharajah Ranjit Singh at Saint-Tropez in France, the
birth place of his Army General, Jean-Francois Allard. Henri Prevosat-Allard, Deputy Mayor and in-charge of tourism of Saint-Tropez, who also is the descendant of General Jean-Francois Allard who trained Maharajah's troops, and has announced the step as a mark of respect towards the 19th century king.

"The installation of a statue of Maharajah Ranjit Singh in Saint-Tropez would be significant in nourishing the bilateral relations between India and France and especially people of Punjab".

Henri Prevosat-Allard, Deputy Mayor and in-charge of tourism of Saint-Tropez met Punjab tourism Minister, Sohan Singh Thandal and invited him to the ceremony, an official release said. The statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh will be installed in France's town on 17 September 2016. Allard will also invite Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to Saint-Tropez, when the statue will be installed.

In September 2016, the Indian embassy in France will hold also an exhibition on the life of the king. The Punjab Government will hand over the bust of Maharaja Ranjit Singh to the French envoy in India in June 2016.

Saint-Tropez is one of very prominent tourist's destination world over where nearly 6.5 million tourists visit this place every year. -source

Facts about Maharajah Ranjit Singh

• He was the founder of the Sikh Empire, which came to power in the Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century.
• The empire, based in the Punjab region, existed from 1799 to 1849
• He was the proud ruler of the last great Indian state, which successfully resisted British expansionism until 1849.

Source:// PTInews

facts from jagranjosh.com