MUMBAI: Legendary sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar (1925-2025) who passed away on Thursday will be conferred with the First Borderless Babasaheb International Award posthumously. Announcing this on Friday in Mumbai, Rajendra Jadhav, founder of the think tank Borderless Babasaheb which popularises Babasaheb B R Ambedkar’s thoughts internationally said that the iconic sculptor Ram Sutar has created several statues of Babasaheb, including the 350-feet bronze statue of Dr B R Ambedkar for the Indu Mills Memorial in Dadar. “He was commissioned to make Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue for the memorial coming up at the Indu Mills in Dadar. Recently 22-ton shoes of Ambedkar reached Mumbai. We feel proud to announce that the Borderless Babasaheb International Award will be conferred on Sutar sahab who was a father figure to many of us,” said Jadhav. “He will be in our prayers always. My condolences are with Anil Sutar, the great sculptor’s son, who took care of his father so lovingly till the legend’s last breath.“Jadhav added that the award will be given to Sutar posthumously at a function in Mumbai soon and Sutar’s family will be invited to receive it. Sutar had a special bond with Mumbai and Maharashtra. Born at Gondur village in Maharashtra’s Dhule district, he graduated from the prestigious Sir J J School of Arts. Acknowledging his services and legacy, the Maharashtra government recently conferred on him Maharashtra Bhushan Puraskar, the state’s highest civilian award. “In Ram Sutar’s demise, the kohinoor of sculpture has been lost,” mourned union minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale.
