Bhubaneswar: In a proud moment, renowned sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik was felicitated by Odisha Governor Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati on Tuesday at Lok Bhavan in Bhubaneswar.
Pattnaik received the honour for his historic achievement of winning the prestigious Russian Grand Sand Master Cup 2026 at the II International Festival of Sand Sculpture held in Kaliningrad, Russia.
He became the first Indian sand artist to win this prestigious international title.
Expressing his gratitude, Pattnaik posted: “Honoured to be felicitated today by the Hon’ble Governor of Odisha, Shri Hari Babu Kambhampati, at Lok Bhavan, Bhubaneswar, for winning the prestigious Russian Grand Sand Master Cup 2026. Deeply grateful for this recognition and encouragement.”
The Governor praised Pattnaik’s remarkable contribution to sand art and his powerful sculpture on climate change that won him the global accolade.
Pattnaik, known worldwide for his creative and socially relevant sand sculptures on Puri beach, has once again brought laurels to the state and the country with this victory.
