UP CM Adityanath mourns sculptor Ram Sutar's demise

Lucknow, Dec 18 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday expressed grief over the demise of noted sculptor Ram V Sutar, calling it as "extremely saddening." In a post on X in Hindi, Adityanath said, "The passing of the great sculptor, Padma Bhushan Ram V Sutar, the creator of the world's tallest statue, the 'Statue of Unity', is extremely saddening and an irreparable loss to the art world. Our humble tributes to him! We pray to Lord Ram to grant peace to the departed soul and strength to the grieving family to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti!" Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also condoled Sutar's death.

In a post on X in Hindi, Maurya said, "The news of the passing of Shri Ram V Sutar, the renowned sculptor who created the Statue of Unity and was a recipient of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards, is deeply saddening. We pray to Lord Ram to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and provide strength to the grieving family during this difficult time. Om Shanti!" Ram V Sutar, best known for designing the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, died on Wednesday night at his residence in Noida. He was 100 and had been suffering from age-related ailments, his family said.

"It is with profound grief that we inform you of the passing of my father Shri Ram Vanji Sutar on 17th December midnight at our residence," his son Anil Sutar said in a note shared with the press.

Born on February 19, 1925, in Gondur village of Dhule district in present-day Maharashtra, Sutar showed an early inclination towards sculpting. A gold medallist from JJ School of Art and Architecture in Mumbai, he went on to create several iconic works.

The iconic statues of Mahatma Gandhi seated in a meditating pose and of Chhatrapati Shivaji riding a horse on the Parliament premises rank among his finest creations. The Statue of Unity honours Sardar Patel, India's first deputy prime minister and home minister.

Sutar was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016. PTI NAV AKY