Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the decision to honour Sutar with the highest civilian award of the state was taken unanimously by a committee headed by him on March 12
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Pic/X
Renowned sculptor Ram Sutar has been named the recipient of the Maharashtra Bhushan Award, Maharashtra’s highest civilian honour.
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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the legislative assembly on Thursday that noted sculptor Ram Sutar has been chosen for the Maharashtra Bhushan, the state government's highest civilian award.
Sutar, who turned 100 last month, is a Padma Bhushan awardee and has designed the Statue of Unity which is the world's tallest statue with a height of 182 metres.
Fadnavis said the decision to honour Sutar with the highest civilian award of the state was taken unanimously by a committee headed by him on March 12.
"He is a centenarian but is still working on the Ambedkar statue at the Indu Mill memorial project in Mumbai," he said.
The award is Rs 25 lakh and includes a memento.
Acknowledging Sutar’s immense contribution to Indian art and culture, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Shinde lauded him as a “Bhishmacharya in the field of sculpture.” He highlighted the artist’s role in glorifying the country’s identity through his masterpiece, the Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
"Ram Sutar has dedicated his life to art, and his sculptures have elevated Maharashtra's name on the global stage. His unwavering dedication, artistic brilliance, and ability to breathe life into his creations make him a true inspiration,” Shinde said in his statement.
Deputy CM Shinde also recalled entrusting Sutar with the creation of a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Malvan last year. "I personally interacted with Ram Sutar and his team during this project. I am confident that this statue will inspire millions of Shiv devotees," he added.
Shinde emphasised that honouring Ram Sutar is a tribute to all Indian sculptors whose art has preserved the nation's cultural and historical heritage.
Ram Sutar, who works with his son Anil, has been associated with many major projects like the Statue of Unity, the 251-metre tall statue of Lord Ram at Ayodhya, a 153-feet high statue of Lord Shiva in Bengaluru and a 100-feet tall statue of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj at Moshi in Pune.
Last year, four months after a 35-feet tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed at Rajkot Fort in Malvan in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, triggering a massive political slugfest in the state, the Maharashtra government awarded the contract of building a new 60-feet statue of the Maratha warrior king at the fort to Sutar's firm Ram Sutar Art Creations Pvt Ltd that built the 'Statue of Unity' in Gujarat.
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