New Delhi

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday condoled the demise of noted sculptor Ram Sutar, the architect of the Statue of Unity at Kevadiya in Gujarat.

Sutar, 100, breathed his last at his residence in Uttar Pradesh's Noida late Wednesday night.

In a post on X, Shah termed the passing of "great sculptor Ram Sutar extremely saddening".

स्टैच्यू ऑफ यूनिटी के आर्किटेक्ट, महान मूर्तिकार राम सुतार जी का निधन अत्यंत दुःखद है। भारतीय संस्कृति व विरासत को युवा पीढ़ी के बीच चिरस्मरणीय बनाने हेतु ऐतिहासिक मूर्तियों का निर्माण करने वाले राम सुतार जी ने अजंता, एलोरा की मूर्तियों के जीर्णोद्धार में भी अहम भूमिका निभाई।…

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 18, 2025

In his message in Hindi, Shah said, "Ram Sutar ji, who created historical sculptures to make Indian culture and heritage memorable for the younger generation, also played a crucial role in the restoration of the sculptures of Ajanta and Ellora."

"His demise is an irreparable loss to the world of Indian art. May God bless his soul with peace and give strength to his family and admirers to bear this grief. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti," Shah said.

READ MORE: Cricket taught me to value human talent over caste and religion

Sutar was best known for monumental works such as the Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue depicting Vallabhbhai Patel, and the statue of V D Savarkar at the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, among others.