Who is Chandrakant Sompura, the architect behind Ram Mandir

As India gears up for the Ram temple consecration in Ayodhya on January 22, the spotlight is yet again on eminent architect Chandrakant Sompura and his team.

"32 years ago, Ashok Singhal took me with him and told me to prepare a plan for the Ram Mandir to be constructed", the architect recalled, speaking to ANI.

Nothing was set in stone at the time, and Sompura recalled not even being allowed to take measurements at the time. Not one to be deterred, he measured the area with his feet, and chalked up a plan for the temple that'll soon open its gates, marking somewhat of an end to a troubled stretch in the nation's past.

Sompura comes from a long line of temple architects and is the 15th generation of the family hailing from Ahmedabad. While he has had no formal training in architecture, as The Week revealed during a 2019 interview, Sompura has been credit with constructing over 200 temples in India and abroad.

Chandrakant's grandfather, PO Sompura, designed the revived Somnath Mandir in Gujarat in 1949 and some of Sompura's notable achievements include Akshardham in Gujarat, Mumbai's Swaminarayan mandir, and the Birla Mandir in Kolkata.

It was through the Birla family that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) contacted Sompura for the Ram temple, The Outlook reported.

Work on the Ram temple was started more than 32 years ago by Chandrakant. The design of the mandir of the Ram temple was upgraded by Chandrakant and his team consisting of his sons Ashish and Nikhil, in Singhal's presence.

Sompura has always touted the temple's unique design, telling The Week back in 2019 "There are temples everywhere, but this is the Ram Janmabhumi temple."

He continued "It will have rich carvings based on the Nagara shaily (style)."

Speaking to PTI, the architect said "This project is special as it is being built at the birthplace of Lord Ram. We have to ensure that it should be the best."