As the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya approaches on January 22, a sculpture of Ram Lalla crafted by Arun Yogiraj from Mysuru has been chosen for installation, as confirmed by Champat Rai, the general secretary of the temple trust on Monday.
The stone depiction of a five-year-old Ram Lalla is expected to weigh between 150 kg to 200 kg.
Who is Arun Yogiraj?
At 38 years old, Arun Yogiraj stands out as one of the most sought-after sculptors in the country. Despite holding an MBA degree and briefly pursuing a different career path, he returned to his family's artistic profession.
“I have been assisting my father in sculpting since I was 11. After working elsewhere for a few months, I realised sculpting was my passion. I came home in 2008. While my father supported my decision, my mother wasn’t happy that I quit my job. She finally came around in 2014, when I received South India’s young talent award,” Yogiraj told Indian Exress.
The other two sculptors who worked on the idol are GL Bhat of Bengaluru and Satyanarayana Pandey of Rajasthan. While one of these three idols will be installed in the temple sanctum, the other two will find their place within the temple premises.
This isn't Yogiraj's first notable project. Previously, he sculpted a 30-foot statue of Subhash Chandra Bose, displayed at the Amar Jawan Jyoti near India Gate in the national capital.
He is also known for the 12-foot tall sculpture of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath and a 21-foot tall Hanuman statue in Mysore.
