Sculptor Chintamani Kar is dead

Eminent sculptor Chintamani Kar died at a private hospital in Kolkata on Monday following a cerebral attack.

Kar, who had lapsed into a coma, died at 10.50 am, his close aide Indrajit Basu said.

Kar, 91, was a widower, and his only son died a few years ago.

One of the most renowned scupltors of modern India, Kar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1972 and received the Deshikottama -- the top honour of the Visva Bharati University -- in 1990.

In 2000, he was given France's highest civilian honour with the country's ambassdor personally coming down to Kolkata to bestow the award on him.

He had set up a museum of sculpture, Bhaskar Bhavan, at his south Kolkata residence in 2000 and handed it over to the West Bengal Information and Cultural Affairs Department.

He also established the Amina Kar Museum, which is now run by a trust.

Among Kar's creations is the well-known sculpture on the facade of the Supreme Court.