Amarnath Sehgal: The Sculptor of Human Spirit

Amar Nath Sehgal (1922–2007) was a pioneering Indian modernist artist whose creative vision spanned sculpture, painting, and poetry. Born in Campbellpur (now Attock, Pakistan), Sehgal initially studied industrial chemistry before dedicating himself to art. He pursued formal art education in New York in 1950, where he was influenced by modernist and expressionist movements.

Sehgal is renowned for his bronze and ceramic sculptures as well as large-scale murals that celebrate human dignity, freedom, and India’s cultural heritage. One of his most iconic works is the mural at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, reflecting both rural and contemporary India. When the mural was removed without his consent, Sehgal successfully defended his moral rights in court, setting a precedent in Indian art law.

In addition to visual arts, Sehgal was a published poet, exploring themes of social justice and human experience. He received the Lalit Kala Akademi Fellowship in 1993 and was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2008.