About Us

Some journeys don’t begin in boardrooms. They begin in memories… in friendships… in a quiet passion that refuses to be silenced.

Shilpa Shastra — the soul of Indian wooden craftsmanship — was not born overnight. It was born over a year of deep thought, ideation, quiet research, and one persistent question that kept echoing in the hearts of its founders: “Can we preserve what the world is slowly forgetting?”

The founders of Shilpa Shastra are not business tycoons. They are doctors, educators, mothers, dreamers — each of them rooted in purpose and grace.

At the heart of this story are Dr. Arumugam and Dr. Sethu — two exceptional doctors and even more extraordinary friends. Their friendship is 35 years old, stretching back to their undergraduate days, and has only deepened through time. One is a specialist in robotic knee replacement, the other in ophthalmology. But beyond medicine, they are bonded by something rare — a shared reverence for art, culture, and Indian tradition.

Dr. Sethu’s relationship with the art of wooden carving runs deep — across four generations. His family has lived among artisans, celebrated their skill, and witnessed with both joy and sorrow the slow fading of this glorious heritage. He didn’t just admire the art — he grew up in its presence.

Dr. Arumugam, a global traveler with a heart tuned to beauty, has never missed an opportunity to visit museums, galleries, and local artisan homes in every corner of the world. His curiosity has taken him from desert villages to mountain monasteries, from the quiet corners of Indian hamlets to global galleries. But no matter where he went, his admiration for Indian art stayed closest to his soul.

And it is here that these two doctors met their third hero — the master artisan. A man of few words, but a world of wisdom in his hands. An artist who doesn’t merely carve idols, but breathes centuries of heritage into every inch of wood. His relationship with Dr. Sethu’s family spans generations — built on trust, respect, and a shared love for the sacred craft.

But a dream of this scale needs pillars of strength.

Joining this journey were two remarkable women — the unseen forces behind the vision.

Dr. Geeta, a celebrated ophthalmologist and the graceful partner of Dr. Sethu, has spent over 25 years turning homes into galleries of tradition. Every corner of her home speaks of art — and every gift she gives is a piece of Indian soul. From family to friends across continents, she has quietly curated and shared India’s artistic legacy, one handcrafted piece at a time.

And then there is Sandhana Arumugam, wife of Dr. Arumugam — an educationist, marketing consultant, and a mind that sees the world in stories and sculpture. Her passion lies in drama, tradition, and texture. For her, tradition must not be frozen in museums; it must live in homes, in hearts, and in everyday life.

Together — these four founders and one artisan — asked themselves a bold question:
What if we can turn reverence into revival? What if we can make every household own a piece of India, not as decoration… but as inheritance?

Shilpa Shastra is not just a brand. It is a voice. A revival. A quiet revolution.

It stands for a future where artisans are respected. Where wooden idols are not mass-produced but soulfully handcrafted. Where a child growing up in New York, Chennai, or Coimbatore can point to a wooden Ganesha and say, “This came from the heart of India.”

Because if a whole village comes together to carve one idol,
then the whole world must pause to admire it.
This is not just art for worship.
This is art for heritage, for healing, and for home.

Welcome to Shilpa Shastra.
Where every carving carries a story.
And every story begins with love.