Chandrakant Sompura

Chandrakant Sompura comes from a family that has designed temples for generations. In 2025 he was named for the Padma Shri, from Gujarat ^[1].

Learning from his grandfather

Chandrakant Balvantray Sompura was born on 8 November 1943 in Palitana, Gujarat ^[2]. After his father’s death in 1967, he joined the family’s temple architecture work under his grandfather, the noted architect Prabhashankar O. Sompura, and worked alongside him for 15 years, learning on sites such as the renovation of the Shamlaji temple ^[2].

Temples in India and abroad

He took charge of the family practice in 1979 ^[2]. His designs include Akshardham in Gandhinagar, the Swaminarayan temple in London, a Shiva temple in Singapore, Jain temples in Chicago and Houston, the Ambaji temple and the nritya mandap of the Somnath temple ^[2]. The plans for the Ram temple in Ayodhya were prepared by him ^[2].

He has also completed and published works on traditional temple architecture that his grandfather left unfinished ^[2]. His London Swaminarayan temple won a special award for architecture and design in 1995 ^[2].