Our Founding Force

Meet the Man Behind the Magic: Mr. Sunil Sikka
Founder. Dreamer. Rug Whisperer.

Way back—35 years ago—a young man with a vision (and a truck full of rugs) set out from India, landed in the U.S., and hit the road. Literally. Mr. Sunil Sikka started his carpet journey the old-school way: knocking on doors, unrolling rugs in retail stores, and sharing a slice of India with the world, one beautiful weave at a time.

Fast-forward to today, and that same man—now a bonafide rug legend—has designed for the who’s who of interiors: ABC Carpet & Home, Stark Carpet, United Imports, Oscar Isberian Rugs… the list rolls on like a hand-knotted masterpiece. His creative fingerprints are all over living rooms, lobbies, and luxe spaces around the globe.

But he didn’t stop at design. Mr. Sikka became the go-to guy for carpets in India. A mentor to dozens of suppliers, a trend-setter before trends were even a thing, and the one who helped shape the rug ecosystem in India from the ground up. Literally.

Today, he runs his own buying agency, working with top-tier clients like Lulu & Georgia (L.A.), Shiir Rugs (Chicago), Mehraban Rugs (L.A), Mark Gonsenhauser's Rug & Carpet Superstore, The Persian Carpet (North Carolina) and more across the U.K. and Australia.

From the ad streets of NYC to the vibrant vibes of New Delhi, he has spent a decade spinning tales for titans like Uniqlo and Heineken. JWT, Wieden Kennedy, and a slew of other agencies have been his playground. 

But Raghav's true love affair is with rugs - the unsung heroes of any space. That's why he founded Knotty.in, where Indian craftsmanship meets modern charm, and also supply the crème de la crème of hotels and villas with rugs that tell a story. 

His one and only mission at Knotty: Collaborating with Jaipur, Agra, Bhadohi and Mirzapur's finest manufacturers and keeping the centuries old craft of rug weaving alive and of course delivering unique, high quality rugs to discerning customers.