‘Won many awards, but state honour special’

Seated at a sea-facing govt guesthouse at Malvan in Sindhudurg district, Ram Vanji Sutar (100) gazes at the vast sea. Calm, quiet, a picture of serenity. But he likely has a hundred thoughts vying for his attention.
Agile and active, the renowned sculptor, who has created some of India's most iconic statues, including Statue of Unity in Gujarat, the world's tallest at 182m, defies his age. He recently hit the headlines when CM Devendra Fadnavis announced that the state's highest civilian award, Maharashtra Bhushan, for 2024 will be conferred on him.
For the Padma Bhushan awardee, the honour is particularly special. "I have received many awards, including Tagore Award, but this is important since the state where I was born has recognised me," says Sutar. Born and raised in Dhule, Sutar, the son of a carpenter, graduated from JJ School of Arts before moving to Delhi in 1959, where he has since been living.
Joined by his son, Anil Ram Sutar (67), he is in Sindhudurg to inspect the work on a new Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue to be installed at Rajkot fort. A 35ft statue of the Maratha warrior, unveiled by PM Narendra Modi in Dec 2023 at the site, had collapsed in Aug 2024 due to strong winds, sparking a row.
"The new statue will be 60ft tall and sturdy enough to withstand strong winds," says the sculptor, who is also making a ‘Statue to Equality' dedicated to Babasaheb Ambedkar at the upcoming memorial at Indu Mills Compound in Mumbai. At 450ft, this will be the world's third highest after Statue of Unity and Statue of Spring Temple Buddha in China (420ft).
"We saw hundreds of photos, many documentaries and films on Ambedkar. A team of experts, including from JJ School of Arts, members of the Ambedkar family and historians approved the model," says Anil, adding that the statue's bronze casting is underway at their Noida studio.
Apart from the anatomy of the subject, a few things had to be kept in mind while sculpting Ambedkar's statue. "Holding the Constitution's copy in one hand and the pointed finger in the other had to be shown," explains Sutar. The raised pointed finger in Ambedkar statues is a gesture calling for equality.
"This statue will be a milestone in Sutar sahab's life, too. It will symbolise Babasaheb's struggles to uplift the marginalised and call for universal peace and brotherhood. It will become a popular pilgrimage and tourist site," said Rajendra Jadhav, founder of think tank Borderless Babasaheb that popularises Ambedkar's thoughts internationally.
At 100, he's neither resting on his laurels nor ready to put down his chisel and hammer. Up at 7am every day, he is at his studio by 10 am and returns only in the evening. A true karmayogi.