City officials today announced that the Mahatma Gandhi statue, which toppled off its base last August, has been fully restored, and is back at its spot at the corner of Kalakaua and Kapahulu avenues in Waikiki.

The bronze sculpture by artist Stephen Lowe, entitled “A Fistful of Salt,” underwent nearly 11 months of meticulous, restoration work at a cost of nearly $38,000, according to the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts.

Veteran Hawaii sculptor Kim Duffett took the lead on the project, painstakingly repairing fracture cracks, along with the sculpture’s walking stick, eyeglasses, and right arm, which had detached during the sculpture’s toppling,

Duffett, who has more than 20 years of sculpture restoration experience under his belt, also upgraded the statue’s anchoring system with marine-grade stainless steel hardware that is supposed to be capable of withstanding winds up to 120 mph.

He had the entire sculpture, along with accompanying plaques, sandblasted and treated with a new patina to return it to its original appearance, according to the city.

On the morning of Aug. 8, 2023, the Gandhi statue at Kapi‘olani Park, was knocked from its base. Officials said the exact cause remains unknown, and that it could have been due to high winds or overt vandalism.

Officials said the statue of Mahatma K. Gandhi, the Indian lawyer renowned for his nonviolent resistance, is a significant landmark in Waikiki. It was a gift to the City and County of Honolulu from the Gandhi Memorial International Foundation and the Jhamandas Watumull Fund in 1990.

The foundation is dedicated to promoting Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence, truth, and compassion through educational programs, and the statue serves as a lasting reminder of these ideals.

A blessing for the newly restored statue is scheduled for Oct. 2 during Gandhi’s annual birthday celebration, which is organized by the Gandhi International Institute for Peace.