National award-winning sculptor Chandrashekhar Shilpi passes away

Veteran sculptor Chandrashekhar Y. Shilpi passed away at a private hospital in Kalaburagi on Saturday (August 15, 2026), after being admitted on Thursday (August 13) due to pneumonia and suffering a severe heart attack during treatment. His final rites were held at Rudrabhoomi crematorium in Raghavendra Colony, Kalaburagi, on Saturday evening.

Shilpi is survived by his wife, a son, a daughter, and numerous students and admirers. His daughter, Gayatri Shilpi, is also a sculptor with recognition in traditional sculpture and woodcraft. Shilpi was renowned for preserving Kalyana Karnataka’s sculptural heritage through his intricate wood and stone carvings. He was awarded the prestigious National Award for Master Craftspersons for 2024 by President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on December 9, 2025.

Born into a poor family of traditional blacksmiths in Kakkera village, Yadgir district, Shilpi overcame poverty through dedication to art. He underwent 18 years of traditional wood sculpture training using the Gurukul system under master craftsman Nadoja Naganna Monappa Badiger. After formal woodcraft training, he gained expertise in stone sculpture and Panchaloha art through self-learning and experimentation.

Shilpi moved to Kalaburagi, where he lived and worked for over four decades, becoming inspired by Chalukya, Hoysala, Chola, Rashtrakuta, and Pallava sculptural traditions. His works included temple doors, pillars, mantapas, wooden halls, ornamental frames, and deities' idols. He studied classical temple art in historic centers like Belur, Halebidu, Kalagi, and Shirwal.

Shilpi served as a member of the Karnataka Shilpakala Academy (1998-2001) and the selection committee for the Amarashilpi Jakanachari Award. He trained his daughter Gayatri Shilpi and other young artists, receiving several awards, including the Karnataka Shilpakala Academy’s honorary award in 2012 and the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 2014.

Shilpi continued working from his residence and workshop in Kalaburagi, preserving and promoting India’s traditional sculptural heritage until his death.