Renowned sculptor Dr Uttam R. Pacharne dies at 67 in Mumbai hospital

Mumbai, Dec 26 Renowned sculptor and former Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi Dr Uttam R. Pacharne passed away following a brief illness, here early on Tuesday, a family friend said.

He was 67, and breathed his last at a private hospital in Goregaon west where he was admitted last Friday for complications arising out of a brain haemorrhage, said the friend and artist Prakash Bhise.

Dr. Pacharne is survived by his wife, a son Subodh who is an architect and daughter Suruchi who is a research scientist in the United Kingdom.

Bhise added that Dr Pacharne’s mortal remains shall be kept at his home in Raheja Complex of Malad east for public darshan from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. today (Tuesday) and then taken away for the last rites.

Born on June 2, 1956 at Chakhalewadi village in Ahmednagar, Pacharne topped the Art Teacher's course Diploma in Abhinav Kala Mahavidyalaya, Pune, in 1976, and then did his course in Sculpture & Modelling from the prestigious Sir J. J. School of Art in Mumbai.

From 1978, he participated in several art exhibitions of his sculptures and creations at some of the top galleries in the country and even abroad.

He bagged the National Lalit Kala Akademi Award and Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar (1985), Junior National Award in memory of the late PM Indira Gandhi (1986), medals, honours and other accolades during his career of over four decades.

He was appointed Chairman of the Lalit Kala Akademi (2018) for a 3-year term, was the President of Bombay Art Society and other bodies in various capacities.

Dr Pacharne’s big and small sculptures adorn different locations in India and abroad, including White Tiger Regiment at Jhansi (1980), Swami Vivekananda statue, Mumbai (1981), standing Buddha and Dr B. R. Ambedkar statue, both in Dhule (2002), Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj statue in south Mumbai, (2003), Swatantrya Jyot at Andaman & Nicobar Islands (2004), freedom fighter Govindbhai Shroff in Aurangabad (2007), among many more.

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