Who Was Ram Vanji Sutar? Statue Of Unity Sculptor Passes Away At 100
The funeral and last rites will be held on December 18 at 11:00 a.m.
Noted sculptor Ram Sutar, who designed the famous 'Statue Of Unity' in Gujarat, passed away on Wednesday, family sources said. He was 100 years old and had age-related ailments.
"It is with profound grief that we inform you of the passing of my father Shri Ram Vanji Sutar, on December 17 midnight, at our residence," the family statement read.
The funeral and last rites will be held on December 18 at 11:00 a.m.
Who Was Ram Vanji Sutar?
Ram Vanji Sutar was born on February 19, 1925, in the village of Gondur, in Dhule district of Maharashtra. Sutar is known to have been drawn to sculpting from his childhood.
A gold medallist from JJ School of Art and Architecture, Mumbai, Sutar, has to his credit a long list of achievements.
The iconic statues of Mahatma Gandhi seated in a meditative pose and of Chhatrapati Shivaji riding a horse on the Parliament premises rank among his finest creations. He also designed the Statue of Unity, which honours Sardar Patel, the country's first deputy prime minister and home minister.
Early in his career (1954–1958), Sutar worked with the Department of Archaeology to help restore the ancient stone carvings in the Ajanta and Ellora Caves.
In 1999, Sutar received the Padma Shri, and in 2016, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan. Sutar received the Tagore Award for cultural harmony for 2016.
Last month, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the veteran sculptor's residence and presented him the 'Maharashtra Bhushan, the state government's highest civilian award for 2024.
Sutar is also credited with designing the 251-metre statue of Lord Ram at Ayodhya, the 153-feet statue of Lord Shiva in Bengaluru and a 100-feet tall statue of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Pune.
Ram Vanji Sutar's Notable Works
Some of Sutar's well-known works are listed below:
Statue of Unity: World's tallest statue (182m) of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat.
Statue of Prosperity (Bengaluru): A 108-foot-tall bronze statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, located at the Kempegowda International Airport.
Triumph of Labour: A 50-foot bronze statue at Bhakra Dam, celebrating construction workers.
Mahatma Gandhi Statues: Several, including one inside the Indian Parliament and another at Gandhi Maidan, Patna.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: A massive bronze statue planned for Dadar, Mumbai.
Adiyogi Shiva: A large statue in Murudeshwara.
Chambal Monument: A 45-foot single-rock statue in Madhya Pradesh.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh: A 21-foot statue in Amritsar.
Jataka Stories: Stone sculptures at Dhauli Peace Pagoda.
