Sadashiv Sathe | |
---|---|
Born | Sadashiv Sathe 17 May 1926[1] |
Died | 30 August 2021 | (aged 95)
Nationality | Indian |
Other names | Bhau Sathe |
Education | Government diploma in Modelling and Sculpture (1948) |
Occupation | Sculptor |
Known for | Bronze and other sculptures |
Sadashiv Sathe or Bhau Sathe (17 May 1926 – 30 August 2021[2]) was an Indian sculptor.[3][4] His notable works include the 5-metre high statue of Mahatma Gandhi that is part of the main structure of the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial situated at Dandi, Navsari[5] and the 18-foot equestrian statue of Shivaji at the Gateway of India, Mumbai.[6]
Sathe was first inspired to pursue sculpting as a career from his family's occupation of sculpting Lord Ganesha during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. He obtained a government diploma in Modelling and Sculpture at Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art in 1948.
“I believe art should flow. I have experimented with my art, and I hope generations to come continue experimenting. Unless we push limits, how will art grow?”[6]
He worked as a commercial artist with V. Shantaram.[7] He sculpted his first statue of Mahatma Gandhi opposite the Old Town Hall in Delhi in 1952.[6] In 1958, he was offered a scholarship by the Spanish government to study in Spain.[1] Atal Bihari Vajpayee introduced him to Yashwantrao Chavan, who called upon him to cast the 18-feet statue of the Shivaji, the founder of Maratha Kingdom, at the Gateway of India, Mumbai.[7] The statue was unveiled on 26 January 1961 on the occasion of India's Republic Day.[8][9] He did live sculpting for Lord Mountbatten.[6] He arranged exhibitions at Delhi, Mumbai, London, Moscow, New York, Brussels, The Hague. In 1973, he was invited to Buckingham Palace in London to make a head study sculpture of Prince Philip.[1]
Sathe initiated competitions, such as Pandit Nehru Memorial competition at Nehru Centre, Bombay, and the Shrimati Indira Gandhi National Memorial competition in New Delhi. He was a jury member of the Maharashtra government's art exhibitions and Bombay Art Society's exhibition. He served as an examiner for the Bombay University's art examination.[1]
He once declined to make a statue of Swami Vivekananda, as it was to be put in a temple. Sathe believed that the statue should be put on a rock to protect Vivekananda’s philosophy.[6]
On 24 December 1984, he live-sculpted a bust of Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the residence of Ved Prakash Goyal in Matunga, Mumbai.[7]
He wrote a book of stories related to sculpting - Aakar A Story Of Sculptures.[10]