NEW DELHI: Chandrakant Sompura, the architect behind the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, has expressed his deep gratitude after being awarded the Padma Shri, calling it a recognition of both his individual work and his family’s legacy in temple architecture.
The 81-year-old architect, based in Ahmedabad, is one of eight people from Gujarat who were named for Padma awards this year. “It is a recognition of my work and dedication with which my family has contributed to temple design through generations. The Padma Shri is very special to me. Our family has been dedicated to temple architecture for several generations,” Sompura said, reflecting on the honor.
Sompura’s impressive portfolio includes the design of numerous prominent temples both in India and internationally. His notable works include the Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar, various Shaktipeeths such as the one at Ambaji in Gujarat, and the Swaminarayan Temple in London, as well as projects in Singapore and the United States.
Sompura’s involvement in the Ram Temple project in Ayodhya dates back to 1980, when he was first tasked with designing the temple. “We designed the temple in the past, and re-designed it when its size expanded,” he explained. In addition to the Ram Temple, he is also working on designing seven smaller temples in Ayodhya, including those dedicated to Shabri and Nishadraj.
In a statement on his website, Sompura described his role in the Ram Temple project as “a great opportunity to exhibit the worth of our family wedded to temple architecture not just for livelihood but charisma of life time achievement.” He has worked on or completed 131 temple projects so far, further cementing his family’s place in India’s architectural heritage.
Sompura’s grandfather, Prabhashankar Sompura, was also a celebrated temple architect and received the Padma Shri in 1973. Known for his mastery of the Nagara style of architecture, Prabhashankar Sompura was entrusted with the planning and construction of the famous Somnath Temple by Vallabhbhai Patel after India gained independence.
In addition to Sompura, other individuals from Gujarat featured on the Padma awards list include Kumudini Lakhia, a renowned Kathak exponent from Ahmedabad, who was honored with the Padma Vibhushan, and industrialist Pankaj Patel, who received the Padma Bhushan. Other awardees from Gujarat include Suresh Soni, founder of the Sahyog Trust for leprosy patients; litterateurs Chandrakant Sheth and Tushar Shukla; Lavji Parmar, who has worked to preserve the Tangalia weaving art; and artist Ratan Parimoo, a former dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at MSU Baroda.
