Sculptor Tara Singh dies at 86

Mahesh Sharma

Raikot (Ludhiana), Sept 18

Noted sculptor Master Tara Singh died at the age of 86 here today.

Born at Lakha village in Ludhiana district on May 5, 1931, Master Tara Singh was the recipient of a number of awards, including the Punjab Rattan Award, the Baba Farid Award and the Sobha Singh Memorial Award.

His talent was spotted by Baba Zora Singh, the founder of Gurdwara Mehdiana near Jagraon, where he went on to showcase episodes from Sikh history through his sculptures. His works were also installed in a number of Hindu shrines such as the Chamunda Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh.

Master Tara Singh trained many youngsters, including his son, Parwinder Singh Raikoti. The latter used fibreglass and other synthetic material for his creations.

Krishana Sharda, a historian, said, “Master Tara Singh used to acquaint himself with various facets of the lives of his subjects before starting work on the sculptures.”