Mauritian sculptor Dhyaneswar Dausoa dies at 82
Dausoa, a pioneer of the fine arts department at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute, passed away after a long illness.
Mauritian sculptor Dhyaneswar Dausoa died on Monday, November 9, at the age of 82 due to a long illness. Dausoa was a significant figure in Mauritian sculpture, known for his work in wood, stone, and metal, with his early nude sculptures dating back to the 1970s.
He was instrumental in establishing the fine arts department at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) in Moka, invited in 1976 by Dr. Kissoonsingh Hazareesingh. Dausoa's art, which often explored nature, life, and the female form, was exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the inauguration of the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Hospital in 1968.
His artistic journey included a government scholarship to study in India during the 1970s, where he exhibited in New Delhi. In 1997, he created a monumental iron sculpture in Tunisia. Dausoa was recognised for his cultural contributions when he was appointed Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (CSK) on March 12, 2020.
Why it mattersThe death of Dhyaneswar Dausoa affects Mauritius's cultural heritage and artistic community.