Jaidev Baghel was a master craftsman in Gadwakam, the ancient Indian art of bronze metal casting. Born in the aboriginal community of Gadwas artisans in Kondagaon, Chhattisgarh, Baghel learned the techniques of this craft at the age of eight from his father, Srimanram, who was a talented artist himself. As his art flourished, Baghel was awarded the Shilp Guru Samman in 2002, which earned him the term of endearment “Shilp Guru” among his admirers. A National Award winner, Baghel was best known for his elaborately detailed, sylph-like sculptures of tribal gods and goddesses, human figures and animals. His repertoire ranges from small hand-held sculptures, to large scale works that adorn public places across India. Baghel was instrumental in putting the Gadhwa craft on the national, as well as international, map. In his community, he had succeeded in creating an art facility for Gadhwa artists and oversaw several apprentices himself. Baghel has exhibited and promoted in a number of public exhibitions and workshops in India, U.S.A., U.K., Germany, Russia, Australia, U.S.A, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, France, and many more countries. He won the National Award in 1977, the Shikhar Sanman from former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1982, and received a Doctorate from the Ravi Shankar Shukhla University in Raipur in 2003. Dr. Jaidev Baghel passed away in 2014.