The news of the demise of renowned sculptor Padma Bhushan Ram Vanaku Sutar in Noida shocked the entire art world. He was not just a sculptor, he was one of the last important artists of the generation who gave shape and form as well as soul to the memory of independent India, its aspirations and its heroes. Today when we say that India no longer has another such sculptor left, it is not an emotional exaggeration, but a truth. Such a unique combination of patience, spiritual practice, technical proficiency and national consciousness has rarely been found in any other person.
Ram Sutar was born in an ordinary family in Dhule district of Maharashtra. Since childhood, he was fond of sculpting clay toys and making figures, but at that time no one would have thought that this same child would later become the creator of the Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue. It is said that in school, whenever the teacher explained any concept, Ram would sit on the back bench and draw figures related to that subject.
Once the teacher looked at his notebook, he found that there were less mathematics questions and more drawings. Instead of scolding, the teacher said – You learn more from paper and clay than from books, perhaps that is your path. It was from here that it was accepted in the family and society that this boy was made to do something different. He later worked with J.J. Took formal training from the School of Art, Mumbai, but the real school was the sculptures of temples, monuments, villages across the country, and the faces of common people. He would just look at a person for hours, read his expressions and then express those feelings in clay or plaster.
The world’s tallest statue ‘Statue of Unity’.
Shaping concepts from Gandhi to Sardar Patel
The biggest specialty of Ram Sutar was to fill character in the face. He made hundreds of statues of Mahatma Gandhi, which were installed not only in India but in many countries of the world. An interesting incident is often remembered. An international organization ordered a statue of Gandhi. When the model was ready, a foreign member of the committee said that of all the Gandhi statues we have seen, they either look very serious or spiritual; But there is a strange affection and humility in your model, how did you capture this?
Ram Sutar replied smilingly, I have not seen Gandhiji’s photo, but the sparkle in people’s eyes regarding him, the same face is here. Later this became his identity. He did not just create a face, he created a personality. Similarly, the 182 meter high statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the Statue of Unity is not just a feat of engineering, but the result of imagination and study. There is not a single picture of Sardar Patel in which he is seen walking at the same height as we saw in the statue. This was completely the artist’s imagination, but so accurate that the viewer says yes, if Patel had walked, he would have walked like this.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sculptor Ram Sutar (file photo).
Months of meditation in the smile of the idol
Ram Sutar often used to say that the most difficult task in any sculpture is to decide the line of the lips. No more smile, no less. Once a statue of a national leader was being made. When the model went for the first time, the family said that her face looked very harsh. When I sent it the second time, I got the comment that he seemed very humble, whereas in reality he was a very strong willed person. While leaving for the third time, the carpenter said to his assistant – This time I will not create an idol, I will create his nature. He listened to the leader’s speeches, read old letters, talked to his aides, and then only made subtle changes to the lips and the corners of the eyes. This time the family members said that now it seems that they are standing in front of us.
communication with factory workers
Hundreds of laborers worked in the construction of big statues. welder, fitter, mechanic. Ram Sutar maintained communication at every level. He often said – If the worker is not made to understand what he is making, he will have only tools in his hands, not a soul. During the work on the Statue of Unity, he would repeatedly visit the site, show the workers a small model of the statue and explain that this part is not the leg, it is part of the energy of walking. This would have created a different enthusiasm among the workers; He would work not just as a wage but with the feeling of creating history.
Ram Sutar often used to say that the most difficult task in any sculpture is to decide the line of the lips.
Meaning of such a great artist no more
Ram Sutar’s passing is not just a personal loss or the death of an artist. There are some deep meanings hidden behind it, which are important for Indian art and culture.
1- Weakness of memory architecture
Every nation stands on the strength of its memories and symbols. After independence, India chose its heroes, selected their ideas, and cast them in stone, metal and bronze and installed them in public places. There were only a few names at the center of this entire process, among which Ram Sutar was at the top.
His absence means that a central personality who studied so deeply, understood both history and politics and gave it artistic form is no longer among us. The new generation of artists are definitely coming forward, but the breaking of the continuity of experience and vision given by Sutar ji is a big void.
Recently, a 77 feet high bronze statue of Lord Ram made by Ram Sutar was installed in Goa.
2- Absence of school of thought
Art is not just a technique, it is a tradition of vision. In the West, sculptors like Michelangelo, Rodan, Henry Moore created traditions of their own style. In India, Ram Sutar was a school of thought in his own right when it came to modern public sculpture. Moderate realism, restraint in facial expressions, and dignity in posture were his special identities. With his departure this tradition will no longer be formally organized around any one personality. Later generations will learn from scattered examples, but there is no longer an opportunity for direct instruction from a living master.
3- Balance of art and nationalism
In today’s time, nationalism and cultural symbols often come under the grip of ideological debates. Ram Sutar showed that nationalism and art cannot be contradictory but can be complementary. The zeal with which he created the statues of freedom fighters, national heroes and social reformers was not inspired by any one ideology, but by the broader consciousness of nation building. His absence means that the generation, which had heard the stories of the freedom movement firsthand and translated them into art, is now almost extinct.
Ram Sutar’s passing undoubtedly marks the end of an era for the Indian art world.
Will there be no other sculptor like him?
If seen technically, in future big projects, giant statues will be built through high-tech technology. 3D printing, digital modeling, computer simulation are all available. But the question is, will machines be able to give the sensitive vision that an artist like Ram Sutar gave?
Being an artist of his level is not just a question of skill, but is the result of life experience, patience, and continuous practice. He did small and big work for decades, from simple statues installed outside government offices to projects that were discussed at the international level, with equal honesty and commitment in every work. This is the reason why today when we say that India does not have another such sculptor, there is also a deep concern hidden in it that whether our art education, cultural policies and social thinking are able to create an environment for the rebirth of such artists?
How to keep his legacy alive?
The biggest legacy of Ram Sutar is not only the sculptures he made, but his way of working and way of thinking. To keep this legacy alive, it is necessary that courses, research projects, documentaries and monographs be prepared on his works. Young sculptors should understand that before sculpting a face, one has to understand the story behind it. In big monuments, the artist should not be considered just an executor or a vendor, but he should be associated with the initial concept itself, as happened with Ram Sutar. Their statues installed in small town chaupalas, universities and in front of government buildings are as important as the big national monuments.
End of an era, but inspiration immortal
Ram Sutar’s passing undoubtedly marks the end of an era for the Indian art world. The patience, simplicity and dedication with which he did his work is a lesson for today’s fast-paced, project-driven world. They have taught us that art is not just about beauty but also a medium to preserve memories, values and history.
Whenever a child stands in front of the statue of Gandhi or Patel installed in a square and asks his parents who are these? And in response to that, the history of his country will be narrated to him, then behind that dialogue, somewhere, the meditation of Ram Sutar will be beating. This is his greatest living legacy, and in that sense, his passing may be an irreparable loss but his art and ideas will always remain an inspiration for generations to come.
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