New Delhi, December 18, 2025: Renowned sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar, the visionary artist behind the world’s tallest statue, the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, passed away late Wednesday night at his residence in Noida. He was 100 and had been battling age-related health issues, his family confirmed.
Announcing the veteran sculptor’s demise, his son Anil Sutar said Ram Sutar breathed his last around midnight on December 17. Expressing grief in a statement issued on Thursday, the family said the country had lost one of its greatest artistic minds.
Born on February 19, 1925, in Gondur village of Maharashtra’s Dhule district, Sutar grew up in modest circumstances but displayed a natural inclination towards sculpting from an early age. His talent later earned him a gold medal from Mumbai’s Sir JJ School of Art and Architecture, marking the beginning of a distinguished career that spanned several decades.
Sutar went on to create some of India’s most iconic public sculptures that now stand as symbols of national pride. His notable works include the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in a serene meditative pose and the equestrian statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Parliament complex in New Delhi. His most monumental achievement, the Statue of Unity, was dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, and has become a global landmark.
In recognition of his extraordinary contribution to Indian art and culture, Sutar was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2016. He was also honoured with the Maharashtra Bhushan Puraskar, the highest civilian award of the state, in recent years.
Ram Sutar’s death marks the end of an era in Indian sculpture. His works, etched in stone and bronze across the country, remain a lasting testament to his artistic legacy and vision.
