Renowned sculptor S. Nandagopal died of a massive heart attack at his home at the Cholamandalal Artists' Village on Friday. He was 71.
Mr. Nandagopal's father, K.C.S. Paniker, a principal of the Madras School of Arts, was the founder of the artists' village and Mr. Nandagopal was one of the first set of artists to move in there.
A sculptor and a painter, whose finely crafted works are internationally recognised, Mr. Nandagopal was born in 1946 in Bangalore, Karnataka.
He was a physics graduate from Loyola College, Chennai and completed a diploma in fine arts from the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Chennai in 1971.
Most of his works are of the frontal school, and some of his larger pieces are displayed in museums as well as in public spaces.
Mr. Nandagopal was a vocal advocate of the artists' village and of the Madras Art Movement.
"This is a major loss to the art community, nationally," said Jacob Jebaraj, a fellow painter from the artists' village and Mr. Nandagopal's neighbour.
Mr. Nandagopal was the recipient of the National Award, Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi in 1970 and 1978 and the Jindal Stainless Steel Award for Sculpture, 2002.
In 1998 and 2000, he was nominated by the Government of India to serve as an adviser to the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.
He is survived by his wife and daughter.
