Lauding Italian firm on Colosseum, Hindus ask Indian conglomerates to rescue historical sites

NEVADA - Hindus have commended Tod’s S.p.A., luxury shoes and goods firm for its reported offer to cover the cost of restoring the Colosseum in Rome (Italy).

Its Chairman and CEO Diego Della Valle has offered to sponsor the restoration of ancient Colosseum, which is expected to cost around $34 million, starting at the end of 2011 and taking about 2.5 years to complete.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, lauding the Italian firm’s offer to help in view of budget constraints of the City of Rome, urged business conglomerates of India to come forward to help restore the archaeological and historical treasures of India which needed urgent care in view of chronic dearth of government funding.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, appealed to India’s billionaires/millionaires who had enormously benefitted from India’s economic growth, to come to the rescue of India’s crumbling archaeological sites so that these could be preserved for the coming generations.

The Colosseum, an iconic elliptical amphitheatre in the center of Rome whose construction started in 72 CE, is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering and was capable of seating 50,000 spectators. It brings about six million visitors annually and is blackened by pollution.

Launched in early 1900s, Tod’s S.p.A. in Sant’Elpidio a Mare (Italy) with revenue of about 729 million Euros (2009), is said to be undertaking this restoration project to contribute to “country’s image all over the world”. (ANI)