Who is Arun Yogiraj, 5th Generation Sculptor Whose Idol Has Been Selected for Ayodhya's Ram Temple

The idol of ‘Ram Lalla’ carved by Karnataka’s renowned sculptor Arun Yogiraj was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of Ayodhya’s Ram Janmabhoomi temple on Thursday afternoon. Arun Yogiraj has a lineage of five generations and is one of the most sought-after sculptors in the country.

Ram Mandir Consecration LIVE

The idol was unanimously selected by the temple trust and the decision was announced at a press conference in Ayodhya on Monday. The idol, depicting Lord Ram in his child form adorned with a bow and arrow and made of stone weighing between 150-200 kgs. The depicts the deity as a five-year-old boy in standing posture was placed at its ‘aasan’ in ‘garbh griha’ (sanctum sanctorum) on Wednesday.

The idols have been designed to resemble the depiction of Lord Ram in the Ramcharitmanas and Valmiki Ramayana.

Arun Yogiraj has been working on the Ram Lalla statues for 12 hours a day for the last six to seven months in Ayodhya to finish it.

All About Arun Yogiraj

Arun Yogiraj, who has a lineage of five generations into sculpture, has also been carving since the age of 11 years. His father Yogiraj was also a skilled sculptor, while his grandfather Basavanna Shilpi was patronized by the King of Mysore.

Before coming full-time into sculpture, Arun Yogiraj studied MBA and also worked for some time in a private company, according to his website. However, he could not escape the skills of the sculpting profession and continued his carving career since 2008.

“My mother was against my decision but my father supported me. In 2014, my mother was convinced when I received south India’s young talent award,” he reportedly told The Indian Express.

After coming into sculpture, his artistry has flourished, leading him to create iconic sculptures that have gained nationwide recognition.

Arun Yogiraj’s Previous Works

• A 30-feet statue of Subhash Chandra Bose, installed behind the Amar Jawan Jyoti behind the India Gate, was also crafted by Arun. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2022 unveiled the statue at the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
• Before making the Bose statue, Yogiraj presented Modi with a two-foot statue of the legendary freedom fighter. The PM had thanked Yogiraj for “sharing the exceptional sculpture of Netaji Bose.”
• Yogiraj has also carved other statues including a 12 feet Adi Shankaracharya statue in Kedarnath, 21 feet Hanuman statue in Mysuru’s Chunchanakatte and 15 feet BR Ambedkar statue in Mysuru.
• He has also produced other sculptors including a white marble stone statue of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in Mysuru, a 6 feet monolithic statue of Nandi, a 6 feet Banashankari Devi statue and a 14.5 feet white marble stone statue of Mysore Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar.
• Arun Yogiraj has received several awards and honours by Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mysuru District Authority, Government of India, United Nations and others.