Sculptor Arun Yogiraj, known for creating the idol of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, recalled his meeting with Sutar in 2022, describing it as a profound experience. “Even at 97, he worked in his studio daily. His fingers moved with the same rhythm as while sculpting. Meeting him showed me that he truly lived the principle of ‘work is worship’,” Yogiraj said.
Sutar’s son, Anil Sutar, highlighted his father’s dedication to realistic sculpture. Over 78 years, Ram Sutar completed more than 1,150 sculptures, averaging a new piece every 25 days. His first work, a bodybuilder statue, was created at age 22. In his centenary year, he sculpted a 77-foot statue of Shri Ram in Goa, reflecting his enduring passion for art.
Influenced by Gandhian ideals, Sutar sculpted his first Mahatma Gandhi statue in 1948. Since 1972, he created a Gandhi statue every year, totaling over 450 statues worldwide, including all 16 installed in the Parliament House complex.
Yogiraj also remembered Sutar’s humility and appreciation for detail. “When I showed him my work during the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose project at India Gate, he remarked that he had not seen such detailed drapery work in stone before in India. That encouragement meant the world to me,” he said.
Ram Sutar’s life epitomized simplicity, dedication, and artistic brilliance. His sculptures not only shaped India’s cultural landscape but also left a lasting legacy for generations of artists and admirers worldwide.
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