Jaipur (Rajasthan): Architect and sculptor Laxman Vyas along with his forty members team as well as officials from the Tata Company and others, gave their sweat and toil to bring the herculean project into reality. For him, it was like a dream coming true. In an exclusive chat with ETV Bharat, Laxman Vyas spoke a great deal about the project.
Q. When asked how was the response of the Prime Minister after unveiling the National Emblem?
Ans: The Prime Minister's body language gave enough hint that he was jubilant after unveiling the replica of Ashok Stambh (The Lion Capital) on the terrace of the newly constructed Parliament building. PM Modi asked me which place I belonged to and I told him that I am from Jaipur. Then he said good work and thanked me quite a few times.
Q. The project took five months to take shape. From where the design concept was taken and other things about the creation?
Ans: Mainly the concept was replicated or conceived from the Lion Capital (Sarnath). But, the design or you could say the model of the project was given to us by the Tata Project Company. We used the Italian Lost Wax process for casting the statue. The prototype of the National Emblem is rust or corrosion-free because the statue contains 90 percent copper and 10 percent tin material.
Q. The project kickstarted in Jaipur and it was shifted to New Delhi. Please shed light on it.
Ans: It took five months to complete the project and shifting the statue which was in parts to New Delhi was a big task. Then, it took another two months to assemble and install the statue on the terrace of the Parliament building. The height of the National Emblem is 21 feet and it weighs around nine tonnes and 626 kg. Earlier, the sculpture had 150 parts and it was painstakingly assembled using gas welding and the Organ technique.
Q. What was the challenge in terms of executing the project?
Ans: The gravity of the task was immense because I was working on the National Emblem. The Lion Capital is an icon associated with national pride. So, it was a bit natural for us, including all members of the team involved in the project, to experience the pressure linked with the project.
