Arun Yogiraj, the renowned sculptor behind the Ram Lalla idol installed at the new Ram Temple in Ayodhya, has been refused a US visa to attend a three-day conference in Virginia. Yogiraj was slated to participate in the 12th AKKA World Kannada Conference (WKC 2024), scheduled from August 30 to September 1.
The invitation letter stated, “Your remarkable contributions to the field of sculpture have caught our attention, and we believe that your artistic vision would greatly enrich our conference. Your work embodies the spirit of creativity and innovation, qualities that align perfectly with the objectives of our event.”
According to Yogiraj’s family, all necessary preparations for the trip were made, and the visa denial was unexpected, especially since his wife, Vijeta, had previously traveled to the US without any issues, as reported by Republic Kannada.
The family emphasized that the trip’s sole purpose was to attend the conference, with plans to return to India immediately after the event. “I don’t know any reasons why it was denied, but we have submitted all the documents related to the visa,” Yogiraj told Republic World.
About Arun Yogiraj
Arun Yogiraj’s sculpting career began in his youth, influenced by his father and grandfather, who were also notable sculptors. After a brief period in the corporate world, Yogiraj returned to sculpting in 2008. His notable works include the Ram Lalla idol, a 30-foot statue of Subhash Chandra Bose near India Gate, a 12-foot sculpture of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath, and a 21-foot Hanuman statue in Mysore.
AKKA World Kannada Conference
The AKKA World Kannada Conference is a bi-annual event that gathers the Kannada-speaking diaspora from North America and beyond. It celebrates community achievements and aims to preserve the Kannada language and culture for future generations. Past conferences have been held in major cities such as Houston, Washington DC, and Dallas, drawing thousands of participants from around the world.