Indian Institute of Architects to honour Ayodhya Shree Ram Mandir designer with Honorary Fellowship
Indian Institute of Architects to honour Ayodhya Shree Ram Mandir designer with Honorary Fellowship
In recognition for his recent work on Ayodha’s Shri Ram Mandir, Chandrakant Sompura, designer is to be conferred with the Honorary Fellowship by the Indian Institute of Architects.
In the letter sent to Sompura, the Indian Institute of Architects mentioned that this honour is conferred in recognition and appreciation of his special interest, distinguished service, and enormous contribution to the profession of architecture.
He will be conferred with this significant honour amidst the inaugural session of the National Convention of the Indian Institute of Architects, to be held in Lucknow, on 9th February 2024.
In the midst of the event, Sompura has also been requested to deliver a presentation on the Shri Ram Mandir built at Ayodhya.
Having roots in a long line of temple architects, Sompura belongs to the 15th generation of the family from Ahmedabad.
His grandfather, Prabhashankar Sompura, designed the revived Somnath Mandir in Gujarat’s Prabhas Patan in 1949.
Some of the notable accomplishments of Sompuras besides Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, are Akshardham in Gujarat, Mumbai’s Swaminarayan Mandir, and the Birla Mandir in Kolkata.
Remarkably, having no formal training in architecture, Sompura, also recognised as ‘Temple Architect’, has designed over 200 temples across India.
Some of the past recipients of similar honours by the Indian Institute of Architects include:
Late Mahendra Raj – Structural Engineer and Designer from New Delhi
Late Yadupati Singhania – Chairman & Managing Director, JK Cement Ltd. from Kanpur
Shirish B. Patel – Civil Engineer & Urban Planner from Mumbai
Sonam Wangchuk – Engineer & Founder of SECMOL, Ladakh
Late Satish Gujral – Painter, Sculptor, Muralist, Architect & Writer hailing from pre-Partition West Punjab
Late Ganapathi Sthapati – Sculptor and Architect from Chennai
V. Suresh – Chairman, IGBC & Former Chairman & Managing Director, HUDCO from Mumbai
Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, Ayodhya
Proposed on the banks of the river Sarayu, Ram Mandir is designed as a traditional structure in Nagara style of temple architecture for a life span of over 1000 years.
The temple uses sandstone, granite, Mirzapur stone, and Makrana marble for flooring and cladding. The structural elements are joined together by tongue-and-groove joints with copper pins and strips.
The main Shikhara of the 380×250-foot temple is 161 feet high.
News Edit K.V.Raman
