The “National Salt Satyagraha Memorial” (NSSM) - a project proposed by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India - was inaugurated by the Honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on 30th January 2019 at Dandi, Gujarat. Due to the engineering excellence and design capability of faculty of IITB, the ministry has chosen IITB as the design and coordination agency for the memorial. The design of the NSSM has artistic and technological aspects included in the statues of the 81 marchers, the 24 narrative murals, the main statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the Artificial Lake, the Solar Trees and a salt-making activity for visitors.
Professor Kirti Trivedi from IDC, IIT Bombay had first begun working on the memorial, acting as the Principal Investigator. After Professor Trivedi's retirement, this title was conferred upon Professor B.K. Chakravarthy who was then succeeded by Professor Raja Mohanty. The Professors put in their years of research and experience to work on the various art components of the monument to conceive and build a monument of National Importance.
Professors Raja Mohanty and B. K. Chakravarthy from the IDC School of Design worked and coordinated on the various art components right from the sculptures of the marchers to narrative murals, the A-shaped pillar and the Glass Cube.
The implementation of the NSSM was entrusted to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the office of the CPWD has played a vital role in this regard.