Sculptures are shaping India's global soft power

As India expands its cultural footprint across the world, a new tool of soft power is quietly gaining prominence—sculpture.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

From towering statues of Hindu deities in the Caribbean to bronze Mahatma Gandhi memorials in Geneva and New York, Indian sculptors are helping the country shape its global identity through public art. Leading this charge is Naresh Kumar Kumawat, a third-generation artist whose monumental works are now landmarks in over 40 countries.

Kumawat, who represents the third generation in a distinguished lineage of sculptors from Rajasthan, is the Director of Matu Ram Art Centres Pvt. Ltd., based in Gurugram, Haryana. His studio has become synonymous with India's modern public art renaissance, having created over 600 large-scale installations across more than 40 countries. His materials span from bronze to fibre, and his themes range from mythological epics to icons of social justice—blending traditional symbolism with contemporary technique.