“Vikram Goyal’s self-imposed limitations of materials and techniques have allowed him to create a cohesive identity that employs a rather polymorphous vocabulary.”

About

Vikram Goyal is driven by a longstanding personal commitment to the revival of India’scraft and cultural heritage. With an intuitive understanding of artisanal traditions and acuriosity for modern expression, he moves fluidly between past and present. Hisapproach has helped reframe Indian craftsmanship as a vibrant, evolving language withglobal relevance.

Goyal’s work is rooted in India’s visual and artisanal legacies, yet shaped by personalhistory. His early years, spent surrounded by art and time in Rajasthan, seeded aninstinctive affinity for ornament and storytelling through form, “I grew up in a time of secularism, growing up with great pride in the country. Alongside this, I frequentlyvisited my maternal family's home in Rajasthan. It was filled with inherited andcollected artifacts - portraiture, sculpture, and objects. I recall that period as a time ofsubconscious influence”.

With degrees in engineering and development economics from Princeton University,Goyal began his career in finance in the U.S. and Hong Kong. His return to India in2000 marked a significant shift — both professionally and creatively. He co-foundedKama Ayurveda, a pioneering Ayurvedic beauty and wellness brand that reframedIndia’s indigenous medicinal heritage.

Today, his creative practice spans his eponymous studio, the lifestyle brand Viya, andongoing cultural and philanthropic engagement. At the heart of his studio is a closeand evolving collaboration with master artisans — especially in metalwork. Every piece ishandcrafted on-site, enabling a unique degree of innovation, intimacy, and technicaldialogue. Through this process, craft becomes not just an act of preservation, but aspace of inquiry — one that reinterprets histories and delves into the imaginative.

One such piece is Dreamscape, a 10-foot repoussé mural inspired by old miniature art. “It depicts mythical creatures — symbols of hope and good fortune — set againstturbulent waves, which represent the mind,” Goyal explains. “It’s highly evocative. Iwant it to move people emotionally, to prompt reflection”.

The studio is represented by leading international design galleries including NilufarGallery (Italy) and The Future Perfect (USA), and collaborates with design houses suchas De Gournay.

Through Viya, Goyal introduces new narratives into the realm of everyday living,extending his explorations of form and function through objects, textiles, andcollaborations with platforms such as Cabana and 1stDibs.“With Viya we are more democratic with our designs - we are that much more prolific and it's exciting to see so many things come alive and have people respond to them”.

Goyal’s first publication, Shringara of Shrinathji, gathers miniature paintings from his grandfather’s private collection — a personal archive that continues to influence his visual vocabulary. His second book, a survey of Indian design post-independence, will be published in 2026.

Beyond design, Goyal is a long-standing patron of wildlife conservation, supporting thework of The Elephant Family and their mission to protect the Asian elephant.

His work has been recognized by Architectural Digest India in their list of the 100 mostinfluential architects and interior designers, and he is a recipient of the Elle Decor IndiaDesigner of the Year award. His designs have been exhibited at PAD London, DesignMiami, and India Art Fair.
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