Renowned Sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra Dies Of COVID-19

Bhubaneswar: Renowned sculptor and Padma Vibhusan awardee Raghunath Mohapatra passed away at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar on Sunday. He was 78.

As informed by Dr Gitanjali Batmanabane, Director, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Mohapatra was admitted to the hospital on April 22 after he was tested positive for COVID-19. Despite the valiant efforts by the doctors, he lost the battle and passed away at 3.49 pm.

Born on March 24, 1943 at Sasan Padia in Puri district, Mahapatra was awarded Padma Shri in 1975, Padma Bhushan in 2001 and Padma Vibhushan in 2013.

He was nominated by the Ministry of External Affairs as a member of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in 2000.

Apart from this, he had served as a senior instructor and superintendent of the Handicraft Training & Designing Centre, Bhubaneswar since 1963.

Mohapatra was among the four personalities nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President of India on July 14, 2018.

Expressing profound grief, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that Mahapatra will always be remembered for his profound contribution to Odisha in the field of art and heritage. “I extend my deep sympathy to the bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace.”