Tribute To Artist Who Sketched India’S National Emblem.

Dinanath Bhargava (1 November 1927 - 24 December 2016), an Indian painter who died at the age of 89 in Indore, is the man who sketched and illuminated the national emblem “Lion Capital of Ashoka”.

Born at Multai in district of Madhya Pradesh. When India gained independence in 1947, he was pursuing 3-year Diploma in fine arts at Shantiniketan. It was at Shantiniketan where he got chosen by the noted painter, Nandlal Bose as a member of group responsible for designing the pages of the Indian Constitution’s manuscript.

He was very particular about the lions in the emblem wanting them to look like the live ones, for what about a month, every day Bhargava travelled to Kolkatta zoo, just to study the live lions, their characteristics from body movement to gestures, poses, etc.

The national emblem of India was adapted by the Government of India on 26th January 1950. A replication of Sarnath Lion capital, erected by Emperor Ashoka in250 BC, national emblem has four lions (one hidden from view) – symbolising power, courage and confidence – on a circular abacus. The abacus is surroundedby four smaller animalsas guardians of the four directions; the lion of the North, the elephant of the East, the horse of the South and the bull of the West. Each of these animals is separated by wheels ofDharma Chakras(eternal wheels of law). The motto ‘’Satyameva Jayate’’,is carved below the emblem in Devanagari script.

Further his paintings were also displayed in the Europe’s world art tour in the 1950’s, in which he won the gold medal. With his death due to suffering from cardiac ailments,India did not lose one of itsbestartists, but it lost the manwho gave the nation its iconic emblem.