Bhubaneswar: Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik on Wednesday expressed his gratitude to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay after the latter publicly praised his sand sculpture.
In his social media post, Sudarsan wrote: “Thank you so much, Hon’ble CM, C. Joseph Vijay Sir @actorvijay. Your kind words truly mean a lot to me. I am deeply honoured and touched by receiving such appreciation from you is truly special and encouraging for me. Heartfelt gratitude always.”
The heartfelt exchange began after Pattnaik created a grand sand sculpture on Puri Beach in honour of Vijay, popularly known as Thalapathy, following Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)’s strong showing in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The elaborate sand artwork featured a detailed portrait of Vijay along with TVK’s signature colours and a prominent congratulatory message that read “Congratulations VIJAY Anna!”
CM Vijay responded warmly to the gesture by posting: “A huge thanks to legendary sand artist Thiru. @sudarsansand for this breathtaking creation! Your talent never fails to amaze. Deeply touched by this beautiful gesture.”
The sand art and the subsequent exchange of appreciation between the two have gone viral on social media, winning praise from netizens in both Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
