Who Was Latika Katt? Prominent Indian Sculptor Passes Away At 76

Renowned sculptor Latika Katt passed away on January 25 in Jaipur, aged 76, according to The Indian Express. With an eye for detail and emotion, she was known for her unmatched skills in stone carving, metal casting and bronze sculpting. Her works were often inspired by human anatomy and nature. She had won numerous awards including the coveted Beijing Art Biennale Award.

Who Was Latika Katt?

Born on February 20, 1948, Latika Katt graduated from the prestigious Doon School in Dehradun and then attended the Baroda College of Art and the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. She earned a research scholarship from the Slade School of Art, London.

Katt's work was heavily inspired by nature, which was kindled by her father, a botanist. She was a great admirer of the French sculptor, Auguste Rodin and used the naturalism technique. She first earned recognition in the 1970s for a body of experimental work where she used cow dung as a medium as she could not afford anything else. 

Her talent was spotted by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during an art exhibition, who later encouraged her to take up sculpting professionally. She taught at Jamia Millia Islamia and Banaras Hindu University for many years starting in 1981 and was the Head of Department of Fine Arts at Jamia Millia Islamia.

Some of her best works include a 20-foot Jawaharlal Nehru bronze sculpture where the former Prime Minister is depicted releasing pigeons into the skies. Her ‘Makarsankranti Nahan at Dashaswamedh Ghat’ piece, which showcases a holy ritual at play, won the Beijing Art Biennale Award in 2010. 

Katt displayed her prolific artworks at the Paris Biennale, Museum of Modern Art; National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi; Chemould Art Gallery and Woodstock Art Gallery, London; ‘STREE’ Show at Moscow, Leningrad & Tashkent, and more national and international exhibitions. She also won numerous awards.