
Veteran sculptor Hirachand Vikamshi passes away
Renowned sculptor Hirachand Anandji Vikamshi died at 82, leaving a five‑decade legacy that fused meticulous realism with a deep psychological insight into his subjects. His belief that sculpture should capture not just form but the spirit of a person guided every monument he created.
Born in 1944 in Achalpur, Maharashtra, Vikamshi honed his craft at Tilak Rashtriya Vidyalaya, earned a Visharad from Tilak Maharashtra University and refined his technique at the prestigious Sir J J School of Art, Mumbai. The mentorship of Kalacharya Pandhe Guruji instilled a Gurukul discipline that remained a cornerstone of his practice.
Launching his independent career in Nagpur during the 1970s, he tackled ambitious projects with traditional tools and painstaking precision. Among his most celebrated works are the towering 30‑foot Sant Dnyaneshwar sculpture at Pasaydan, the 18‑foot fibre‑glass Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar statue in Kamptee, and bronze renditions of Maharana Pratap, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh that adorn public spaces across Central India.
Vikamshi’s contributions have become visual anchors of cultural memory in Vidarbha, and his passing creates a palpable void in the region’s artistic community. He is survived by his sons, daughter‑in‑law and grandchildren, and his body was donated to a medical college, reflecting his lifelong commitment to service.