By Shekar Ajekar
Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (RD/CN)

Karkala, Jun 9: Eighty-five-year-old renowned sculptor Shyamaraya Acharya, a native of Kabettu, near here, passed away on Wednesday June 8.

The last rites of Acharya were held at his ancestral house in Kabettu, on Thursday June 9 morning.

About Shyamaraya Acharya

He was born to renowned sculptor Jogappa Acharya and Kalyani in Katpady, Udupi district, in 1926. After his high school studies, he graduated in Sanskrit from Bhuvanendra College. After his studies, he began apprenticeship with his father and later joined work with veteran sculptor Renjala Gopalakrishna Shenoy in 1947. He worked with Shenoy for 22 years and mastered the art of sculpting to set up his own institute Vijaya Shilpa Kala School in Kabettu.

Over 700 sculptures of Acharya adorn houses, institutions, and enterprises across the nation and across the globe. A 13-foot sculpture of Bhagawan Mahaveer is situated near the Qutub Minar in New Delhi. He has sculpted a 17-foot sculpture of Chandraprabha Theertankar in a seated position. He was also the Vastu consultant for many temples across the country.

Acharya was conferred the Shila Shilpi Award during the All India Vishwa Karma Convention held in Mangalore in 1970. He served as president of Karnataka state Shilpa Kala Academy. He also served as a member of the selection committee to choose nominees for the prestigious award in 1994.

Acharya was awarded the prestigious Jakanachary Award by the state in 1999. He had translated a Sanskrit book related to sculpting into Kannada. Acharya had bagged the Karnataka Rajyotsav Award, Lalita Kala Academy Award, Bharat Utsav Award in United Kingdom, Fine Arts Society Award and many others.