Bengaluru, Oct 3 (IANS): Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala on Wednesday unveiled an eight-foot tall and 40-inch wide bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the deemed private-run PES University to mark his 150th year.

"The statue will spread the values and memories of Gandhiji for generations on this campus," said Vala on the occasion.

Shipped from Porbandar, Gujarat, the birthplace of Gandhi, the metal bust unveiling was timed to commemorate Gandhiji's sesquicentennial birthday, the university said in a statement.

The governor also lauded the varsity for including value added courses on Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda and Mokshagundam Vishveshwarya in the university curriculum.

Vala appealed to the students to read literature on Gandhiji and his associate Sardar Vallabhai Patel, who amalgamated over 500 princely states into the Indian Union after the Independence in August 1947.

About 2,000 students and faculty attended the event.

State Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar, PES University Chancellor M.R. Doreswamy and its pro-chancellor D. Jawahar were also present on the occasion.