OUR STORY
OBJECTS WITH ORIGIN
House of Santal is a contemporary design gallery and online platform presenting South Asian craftsmanship through a forward-looking design lens. Founded in New York by designer and curator Raksha Sanikam, the platform brings together leading and emerging designers, studios, and master artisans from across the region; each curated for their ability to bridge legacy craft traditions with contemporary form.
House of Santal’s curatorial perspective is rooted in process, provenance, and authorship, highlighting both collectible works and exceptionally crafted design objects. Through exhibitions, commissions, and cultural programming, House of Santal creates new pathways for exchange between South Asia and the international design stage. Its physical gallery and online platform offer collectors, architects, and design patrons access to distinctive works; ranging from limited-edition and made-to-order pieces to thoughtfully designed objects defined by quality, materiality, and intent.
RAKSHA SANIKAM
FOUNDER & CURATOR
Raksha Sanikam is a New York–based designer, and the curator and founder of House of Santal. Rooted in material exploration and craft histories, her work champions the designers, studios, and master artisans shaping South Asia’s evolving design landscape. She brings a designer’s eye to curation; pairing research with cultural storytelling to foreground practices and perspectives that have long been underrepresented on the international stage. Through House of Santal, Sanikam is building a platform for exchange between South Asia and the global design world through collectible objects, exhibitions, and programming.
House of Santal’s logo draws inspiration from the charpai, not just as an object, but as a symbol. It’s simple, structural, and deeply familiar in South Asian life. It’s a mark that holds space for heritage, for dialogue, and for timeless design shaped by tradition.