National Emblem Row: Dimensions, angle of view, make emblem look different, says sculptor

“It is only due to the scale and dimensions that they look different…there is no other factor,” said the 49-year-old artist, who had earlier created replicas of Ajanta and Ellora caves. He further said, “I did not receive the contract (for sculpting) from the government. I was given the contract by Tata Project Limited (the company hired for the construction of the building) where I had applied and there was a shortlisting process.”

Veteran archaeologist BR Mani, former ADG of the Archaeological Survey of India, said, “The pillar at Sarnath was created 2,300 years ago by the best Indian and Iranian sculptors of the time. It was carved in stone, by hand. This one is cast in metal. The angle of the view makes it look different.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a bronze National Emblem, for the roof of the new Parliament building, on Monday, June 11 (PTI File Photo)

The National Emblem is an adaptation of ‘Lion Capital’ atop the Ashoka Column at Sarnath. It has four Asiatic lions, depicting power, courage, pride and confidence, seated on a circular base.

After Independence, the task of adapting the emblem from Ashoka’s pillar was given to Nandalal Bose, then principal of Kala Bhavan’s fine arts department at Visva-Bharati in Bengal. He chose his student Dinanath Bhargava, 21, to make a 3D illustration, which adorned the opening page of the handwritten Constitution.