Posted on 20 July 2025:

TRIBUTE TO  LEGENDARY SCULPTOR RAMKINKAR BAIJ  ON HIS 45TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY 

Honouring Ramkinkar Baij: A Soulful Tribute at Santiniketan

On August 2nd, 2025, Santiniketan’s creative heart will beat in remembrance of Ramkinkar Baij, the legendary sculptor and artist whose works shaped India’s modern art movement.

Hosted by Santiniketan Kala Bhavan Praktoni (SKBP), this day-long tribute at Purabita, Surpukurdanga, Santiniketan will feature lectures by renowned writer Prakash Das, author of Ramkinkar Baij and Ramkinkar’s student, celebrated sculptor Dr. Janak Jhankar Narzary, retired Professor, Viswa Bharati, Santiniketan,  alongside a vibrant painting workshop with Adivasi children and SKBP artists. 

Sculpting Modern India with Heart and Stone

Born in Bankura in 1906, Ramkinkar Baij rose from humble beginnings to shape the course of Indian modern art. 

Drawn to clay and color as a child, he found his path at Santiniketan, later leading its sculpture department. With bold materials like cement and laterite, and a style blending Indian tradition and Western modernism, Ramkinkar Baij redefined the language of sculpture. 

Ramkinkar Baij was a fearless innovator, guided not by rules but by raw intuition. At Santiniketan, the open skies and close bond with nature shaped his distinct style—abstract yet deeply rooted in the lives of the Santhals and rhythms of the land.

His iconic works like Santhal Family, Call of the Mill and the majestic Yaksha-Yakshi broke boundaries and ushered in a bold new chapter for Indian sculpture. Often called the “Father of Modern Indian Sculpture,” his public sculptures stand tall—not just in space, but in influence. Baij’s spirit continues to inspire generations, urging artists to create with courage, compassion and curiosity.

Honoured with the Padma Bhushan and Lalit Kala Akademi Fellowship, his legacy remains etched in both form and spirit.

AS WE MARK THE 45TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS VISIONARY (1906–1980), THE GATHERING PROMISES TO BE A BLEND OF LEARNING, NOSTALGIA AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION—AN OFFERING IN CLAY, COLOR AND THOUGHT TO A MASTER WHO GAVE FORM TO THE SPIRIT OF A CHANGING NATION.

Images: Dr. Janak Jhankar Narzary