MBA to Ram idol maker: Yogiraj’s tryst with the divine continues

Aksheev Thakur

New Delhi, January 16

When Mysuru-based Arun Yogiraj said no to a cushy private job to pursue the life of a sculptor, he had no idea what was in store for him.

With his idol chosen for consecration at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, he understands. “It is a moment of great jubilation,” says the 40-year-old, whose joy knew no bounds when the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra announced the selection of his sculpture out of the three commissioned for the ceremony.

Currently in Ayodhya, Yogiraj credits his success to some divine power. His wife, Vijetha, says Yogiraj braved a grave eye injury while sculpting the idol.

“A sharp stone flake pricked his eye during the process. It had to be removed surgically. Despite challenges, he continued making the idol. There were days he did not talk at all,” she recalls. Trust general secretary Champat Rai appreciated Yogiraj for his discipline.

A fifth-generation sculptor, Yogiraj completed his MBA from the University of Mysore but quit his HR job to pursue the family tradition. “The process of Ram idol making began eight months ago,” says the sculptor, who began learning the art from his father BS Yogiraj Shilpi as an eight-year-old.

Quitting a private job to pursue art was not an easy decision. But it paid. In August 2020, Yogiraj’s 3D model of Adi Shankaracharya was selected by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for installation at Kedarnath. Later, Yogiraj created the majestic 30-feet statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, installed at India Gate.

Though Yogiraj shot to fame only in 2020 after the PM noticed him, his tryst with the divine is old. He has crafted several exquisite idols across temples in Karnataka, including sculptures of Lord Panchamukhi Ganapathi, Lord Mahavishnu and Lord Buddha, Nandi among others.