Brijender Syal

Brijender Syal was an Indian sculptor and retired army officer renowned for his stone carvings interpreting and depicting the couplets of the 19th-century Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib. His exhibitions, particularly "Ghalib in Stone," and his collaboration with the Ghalib Academy in New Delhi brought him recognition for blending natural stone formations with Ghalib's verses.

Early life and education Syal exhibited a poetic inclination from his school days, deeply influenced by the works of Mirza Ghalib. During his college years at Dayal Singh College, Lahore, he actively participated in Urdu poetry competitions and won an inter-collegiate award in 1946.

After graduating, Syal briefly pursued poetry, but his career trajectory shifted when he joined the Indian Army Education Corps.

Personal life Syal married, but his wife died on 16 April 1971. a coffee table book featuring Syal's sculptures alongside Ghalib's verses. Syal described this as his "greatest honour." His works are displayed in galleries, including a dedicated section in the Museum of the Ghalib Academy He aimed to create 1,600 carvings but faced funding constraints. Notable works include: Being human: An insight of being human.

Panacea of Pain: A figure lost in mystical trance.

Legacy and death Syal planned to donate his works to the Raza Gallery in Rampur. His sculptures remain part of the Ghalib Museum's permanent collection. Brijender Syal died on January 7, 2001.