Singer Sidhu Moosewala immortalised in terracotta by Moga artist Manjit Singh Gill

Kulwinder Sandhu

Ghal Kalan (Moga), June 3

Famed artist Manjit Singh Gill, who hails from Ghal Kalan village in Moga, has paid homage to slain singer Sidhu Moosewala by making his realistic terracotta sculpture.

The artist has kept the sculpture at Desh Bhagat Park set up by him on his village land. Besides this, realistic statues and sculptures of many Indian and Pakistani personalities are on a display at the park, including that of Lal Bahadur Shastri, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Baba Bulley Shah and former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

Manjit’s brother Surjit Gill also helps him in making the art works. He says: “The fibre-glass and terracotta sculptures made by Manjit are long-lasting glimpses into the personalities of some of the finest figures in the Indian history.”

Gill, who was posted as a senior gazetted officer in the Department of Archaeology and Museums, quit his job to pursue his passion at his native village. “By making sculptures of famous Indians, I want to let the world know about their sacrifices and achievements,” he says.

Manjit says he loved the singer as he kept the Punjabi culture alive and preferred to live at his village instead of big cities or abroad. He now plans to make a 12-foot-high fibre-glass sculpture of Moosewala, which he will donate to the Musa village for installation.