Sculptor Naresh Kumar Kumawat On Preserving India's Heritage Through Monumental Art: 'Tradition Is A Foundation For Growth'

India's sculptures have long been powerful testaments to its history. Sculptor Naresh Kumar Kumawat is taking that tradition forward, both at home and abroad. His medallions depicting Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Dr BR Ambedkar are installed in the new Parliament building. This year, his statue of Swami Vivekananda was unveiled in Seattle, US.

"A history book can explain events and provide context. A monument gives memory a physical presence," explains Kumawat. "Standing before a sculpture, a person experiences its scale, posture, expression and relationship with the surrounding space. That encounter can create an immediate emotional connection, even before reading an inscription."

Visit moryak.biz for more information.

"A statue of Ambedkar can make dignity, education and constitutional responsibility visible in a public setting. A spiritual monument can offer a place for reflection amid everyday activity," he adds.

Creating work for the new Parliament required an exceptional sense of responsibility. "The sculptures needed to complement the architecture while expressing ideas connected with India's history and collective identity."

215ft tall bronze statue of Baba Saheb Ambedkar ji installed at Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh

For the Patel and Ambedkar medallions, the challenge lay in capturing a convincing likeness in relief while keeping expressions true when viewed from below and at a distance. Research, preliminary studies, and model development were essential before fabrication.

The Samudra Manthan, an approximately 75-foot-long and 9-foot-high mural inside the Parliament building, demanded a different artistic approach. It brought together a complex narrative into a coherent composition of movement, rhythm and balance.

Kumawat grew up watching his father, Shri Matu Ram Verma, transform clay into figures with expression and character. "What fascinated me was how a small movement of his fingers could change the entire emotion of a face."

He inherited a sculpting tradition from his grandfather, Shri Hanuman Prasad Kumawat, and his father, along with the patience and discipline it demanded. With a strong foundation in modelling, anatomy, proportion, and craftsmanship, he developed his own identity by exploring how those skills could respond to larger spaces, contemporary materials and new possibilities.

To capture expression, posture and personality, he studies the person beyond their appearance. Photographs and archival material help establish likeness, while the person's life, ideas, and temperament help him capture the character the sculpture should convey.

Recent 14-Foot Bronze Statue of Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in Hyderabad

"The smallest details matter: the inclination of the head, the tension around the mouth, the placement of the shoulders and the way a hand rests. Gandhi's quiet resolve, Ambedkar's intellectual conviction and Patel's firmness require different sculptural treatments."

With spiritual figures, he also studies iconography and symbolism. "Mahadev must carry strength and stillness; Buddha must convey an inward calm. I repeatedly review the model from different angles and viewing distances. A lifelike sculpture needs both anatomical credibility and a convincing emotional presence."

He works in bronze, stone and marble, reinforced concrete, fibreglass and stainless steel, depending on the project. "Clay remains central to the initial modelling process because it allows direct, sensitive exploration of form. The choice of final material depends on the artistic intention, scale, location, climate, structural requirements, budget and maintenance needs."

Bronze offers durability and rich surface detail, while marble has a distinctive luminosity that can be especially effective in spiritual sculpture. Reinforced concrete enables monumental forms, while stainless steel creates interesting relationships with light and reflection. "The material must support the expression of the work and stay suitable for its setting over time."

Kumawat treats tradition as a foundation for growth. "My responsibility is to preserve the integrity of the craft while extending its possibilities through design, technology and collaboration."

His notable international installations include a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Oman; a statue of Gautama Buddha in Seoul, South Korea; a statue of Lord Ram in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; and a bust of Rabindranath Tagore in Belgrade, Serbia.

"Installing large sculptures abroad requires close coordination between artistic work, engineering and logistics," Kumawat says. Local regulations, climate, foundation conditions, transport restrictions and installation access all shape the decisions.

Mumbai-Based Shruti Maria Datar Becomes Only Indian Choreographer Selected For International Young Choreographer Project 2026 In Taiwan

A sculpture must be planned for its entire journey, from fabrication and packing to assembly at the destination without compromising its form or finish. "Reliable local partners and consistent communication are essential. Cultural understanding also matters; the work must retain its identity while establishing a meaningful connection with the community receiving it."

On the use of technology in sculpture, Kumawat says: "Digital scanning, 3D modelling, CNC machining and 3D printing have expanded what we can achieve. They help us study proportions, enlarge models accurately, coordinate complex components and reduce repetitive work. This is especially valuable in monumental sculpture."

Yet accuracy alone does not create an expressive work. "The decisions that give a sculpture meaning—its posture, emotional tone, symbolism and relationship with its setting—still require artistic judgement."

Read full story at source