 copy.jpg)
India Mourns The Passing Away Of Artist Extraordinaire Raghunath Mohapatra
Renowned sculptor, former Rajya Sabha member Padma Vibhushan Raghunath Mohapatra passed away on Sunday evening at AIIMS Bhubaneswar at the age of 78. Earlier Mohapatra had contracted COVID 19 and was undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Mohapatra was considered one of the greatest stone sculptors of the state. He created magic with stones and his creations were immensely loved and enjoyed by people all over the world. For many he was not just an artist but an institution of the art of stone sculpting. His understanding of the Kalinga style temple architecture was immense and his knowledge of it was vast.
Mohapatra won a national award in sculpting at the age of 22 and was conferred with numerous other recognitions including the Padma Vibhushan in 2018, Padma Shri in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan in 2001. Some of his renowned works include a six-feet-tall sandstone statue of the Sun God placed at the Central Hall of Parliament, New Delhi and a wooden sculpture of Buddha at the Buddha Temple in Paris.
Because of his vast knowledge and domain expertise he served as a consultative expert in the preservation of several ancient monuments in Odisha including the Jagannath Temple in Puri and the Sun Temple of Konark. He is also credited to have envisaged an ambitious idea of building a ‘second Sun Temple’ on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
People from all spectrums of life from across the globe condoled the demise of the master craftsman as the news broke on Sunday evening. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed his condolence via a tweet and said the world will always remember the sculptor for his immense contribution towards art in Odisha.
Governor of Odisha, Professor Ganeshi Lal expressed his sadness on the passing of Mohapatra and wrote that he will be eternally remembered for his exquisite sculptures.
The President of India wrote in a tweet that the passing of Raghunath Mohapatra has left the field of art pourer and his absence is an irreparable loss.
Vice President of India M Venkiah Naidu expressed his anguish and offered condolences to Mohapatra’s family and admirers.
Prime Minister Modi expressed his sadness on Twitter and wrote Mohapatra made pioneering contributions to the world of art, architecture and culture. He will be remembered for his contributions towards popularising traditional crafts.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted that she was shocked to know that Mohapatra is no more. She wrote that she felt blessed to receive a divine Sri Mahalaxmi sculpture made by him. “He embodied the skill and knowledge of the Sastras with which our great temples were built over millennia. India loses a master sculptor,” she expressed.
Former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje condoled the death of the legend and wrote on Twitter that Mohapatra, an ambassador of the rich culture and heritage of Odisha, his passing is a great loss to the nation.
Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Biswa Bhusan Harichandan wrote on Twitter that he was deeply saddened by the demise of Mohapatra due to COVID 19 and it is an irreplaceable loss for Odisha and India.
Home Minister Amit Shah condoled the death of the mastercraftsman and wrote his contribution to the field of art will never be forgotten.
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Steel, Dharmendra Pradhan expressed his anguish on the tragic news and wrote Mohapatra was an illustrious son of Odisha who could infuse life into stones. He was one of the biggest ambassadors of Odisha’s art culture and history.
External Affairs Minister of India Dr S Jaishankar informed of his sadness on passing away of Mohapatra.
The Ministry of Culture, GOI’s official twitter handle expressed grief on the passing of the renowned artist.
International sand artist and Padma Shri Sudarshan Patnaik condoled the death of Mohapatra and wrote that his contribution towards Odisha’s traditional art will always be remembered.
National Award winning Director and filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda was shocked to get the news and wrote it is a monumental loss for everyone in Odisha.
Industrialist and Chairman of JSPL Naveen Jindal and wrote that Mohapatra was a father figure to his wife Shallu Jindal and him. His passing away is a great personal loss.
Actor Akash Dasnayak shared his grief and wrote Mohapatra’s contributions in the field of art & culture will always be remembered and cherished by everyone.
Former Indian Hockey captain Dilip Tirkey expressed his grief on the sad news.
Author: MCL bureau
We are the core team of MyCityLinks. A team of dedicated persons to create some out of the box content
Read more from author