A huge statue of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be installed and a research centre will be built as part his grand memorial in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said.

He was speaking on Sunday at the 'Gwalior Gaurav Diwas' function to mark the late leader's 98th birth anniversary. The event was also attended by Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and Narendra Singh Tomar.

Vajpayee was born in Gwalior on December 25, 1924.

Chouhan told the gathering that a grand memorial of Vajpayee will be built in Gwalior, which will have an e-library and a research centre to highlight his life and works through audio visual medium.

The work on the project will start soon, he added.

The Madhya Pradesh government has allotted nearly 4,050 hectares of land in Sirol area of Gwalior to build a memorial of Vajpayee, according to Gwalior Divisional Commissioner Deepak Singh.

Hailing the former PM for the Pokhran nuclear test that was conducted by evading monitoring by nations like the United States of America, Chouhan said the bold step had made India an atomic power.

Scindia and Tomar also recalled Vajpayee's association with Gwalior and praised his contribution to the country.

On the occasion, noted sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, eminent scientist Dr VK Saraswat, cardiologist Dr Jamal Yusuf, international hockey player Ishika Chowdhary and educationist OP Dixit were awarded the 'Gwalior Gaurav Samman', while renowned poet Hariom Pawar was presented the 'Atal Kavi Samman'.

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