The statue is a complementary work by Neeraj Gupta in the honour of Sister Nivedita.
The statue is an artistic attempt to bring the historical figure's views and contribution to Indian civilization to life.
Who is Sister Nivedita?
Sister Nivedita (real name Margaret Elizabeth Noble) was a social worker, Irish teacher, writer, and a follower of Swami Vivekananda. She was born on October 28, 1867 in Ireland.
Margaret Elizabeth Noble was her true name. She continues to be an enormous source of inspiration for every Indian, inspiring and sensitising people about woman education, because of her deep regard and love for India and her work towards women’s education. It was Swami Vivekananda who brought Sister Nivedita to India. Afterwards, she turned into Swami Vivekananda's disciple. She turned her primary faith into serving people. Afterwards, she left the nation and went back to India. Along with her support for women's education, Sister Nivedita was a major figure in the liberation movement in India. Swami Vivekananda gave her the name Nivedita (meaning "Dedicated to God").
In November 1898, she opened a girls' school in the Bagbazar area of North Calcutta. She educated girls who were deprived of even basic education. During the plague epidemic in Calcutta in 1899, Nivedita nursed and took care of the poor patients.
Neeraj Gupta is well-known sculptor in the Indian sculpture community for his distinct and exacting artistic style. Gupta is the founder and president of Delhi Art Society and president of Buddha Garden Delhi (Buddha Jayanti Park). He is the winner of Sahitya Kala Parishad award and many more national and international awards and member of the Royal Society of Sculptors, United Kingdom. Neeraj put in hard effort for this statue. Neeraj is unmatched in his appreciation of art and his ability to capture the essence of famous people. In addition to considering the significant gaps in Sister Nivedita's life, he made an effort to capture her beliefs, her diligence, and her commitment to Indian culture.
Within the Indian sculpture world, Neeraj Gupta is highly regarded for his unique and meticulous artistic approach. Neeraj is unparalleled in his admiration for art and his capacity to encapsulate the soul of well-known individuals.
Neeraj Gupta thinks there are several places in the city that would be suitable for art installations. "The outdoor areas of Indira Gandhi International Airport, the roundabout in the Lutyens' zone, the lawns beneath the DhaulaKuan flyover, and so on are suitable for this project," he claims. All this will be possible if there is Public Art Policy in place and documented in the form of Master Plan for Public Art.
"All we want as artists is for this policy document to be accepted so that many creative’s would have opportunities to work. It's being discussed within the Ministry of Urban Development. However, it seems like things have been slowing down for a while now," he remarks, feeling a little let down.
Neeraj Gupta claims that while many students graduate from Delhi's several art institutions each year, very few pursue the arts as a career. A talented artist frequently quit the arts in order to become a teacher or because they are unable to support themselves. Additionally, they don't have enough time while teaching to follow their love of the arts. This creation features powerful artwork that is in line with the city's conscience.
The artist exhorts city people to appreciate nature more. "I have realized that by taking a lot of space from nature, people are becoming greedy," he explains. Tall structures are being constructed at the expense of the environment, which goes against our own idea of a green Delhi.
