A contemporary artist and a Sculptor, Valay is bringing global attention to the problems plaguing urban society and individuals today.

Valay B. Shende is a sculptor who runs his studio in Mumbai.

Valay was raised in Nagpur, where he was born. He graduated with a degree in Fine Arts and Sculpture from Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai after completing his diploma in art teaching from the Government Chitrakala Mahavidyalaya in Nagpur. For the past 20 years, he has been sculpting.

As per Valay, he has had numerous exhibitions of his art in India as well as in China, Canada, Abu Dhabi, Korea, America, Switzerland, France, and Germany.

As an artist, Valay says that he is a perceptive and sensitive observer of his environment who cares about the struggles of the common people. He says that his art represents these insights of himself.

When asked about the hurdles he has faced, Valay replies that because he did not have much money, he used to walk from his hostel to his college. He recalls how it was challenging for him to fit in with the culture and way of life of the big city when he moved from Nagpur's small Govt. College to Mumbai's Sir J.J. School of Art. Valay states that he made a promise to himself that one day he would enjoy all of life's comforts, no matter how hard he has to work or how many difficulties he has to face.  He says that his numerous accomplishments make him proud of how far he has come.

Valay says education is a fundamental human right. He feels education puts you in a position where you may begin acquiring the experience you need to design your future with. He says that despite having financial difficulties, his father, a small-town merchant, provided him and his siblings the chance to attend reputable institutions according to their academic interests. He states that he is now able to afford all the comforts of life since he worked hard to earn a degree from a reputable institution.

Valay cites Gautam Buddha as a major source of inspiration for him. He believes that the middle path propounded by Buddha is the best response to current problems. Buddha appears prominently in his work.

Valay recalls good childhood memories of skipping classes to spend time with nature, where he enjoyed watching birds and listening to their melodies. He says that his inherently creative mind hated boundaries, so he always wanted to stay away from school. Valay remembers that when he was a boy and his father was a scrap dealer, he used to visit the warehouse and collect various machine parts to create impromptu artwork. He remembers that his teachers and friends admired him much. He says that 3D art has always captivated him, and he has always wished to learn it.

Valay says, if he gets the Time Machine, he desires to travel back in time and undo the errors that currently harm all of humanity.

During his spare time, Valay enjoys social work and cooking. He adds he also takes care of injured animals, which he finds extremely satisfying.

Valay thinks the Pandemic experience was a learning experience for the entire human race. People developed the ability to live simply during this time, according to him. He says families got together and discovered how less communication and less time spent together were harming their relationships. The Lockdown time restored balance to the environment after it had been harmed by various contaminants and human activity.

Valay advises young aspirants to explore their environment and become more conscious of what is going on around them and how it affects the lives of others. He says that if young people take responsibility for creating changes in their own lives, society and the world will certainly change.