Renowned sculptor Ram Sutar has been conferred with the prestigious Maharashtra Bhushan award. The announcement was made by CM Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday in the state Legislative Assembly. A committee, headed by Fadnavis, to select the name for the award on March 12, unanimously decided on Sutar’s name for the award.

Sutar, who has designed the Statue of Unity—the world’s tallest statue—in Gujarat, has been assigned by the Maharashtra government to make a statue of Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar to be installed at Chaityabhoomi. Sutar, who turned 100 last month, hails from the Dhule district of Maharashtra.