Padma Shri Awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik Becomes First Indian to Win Fred Darrington Sand Art Award.
Awards
In April 2025, renowned Indian sand artist and Padma Shri awardee, Sudarsan Pattnaik became the first Indian to recently receive the Fred Darrington Sand Master Award for Excellence in Art and Culture, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the art of sand sculpting.
- The award and medal were presented to him by Cllr Jon Orrell, Mayor of Weymouth, during the Sandworld 2025 International Sand Art Festival, held in Weymouth, United Kingdom (UK).
- He received the award in the presence of eminent dignitaries, including Mark Andersen, Director of Sandworld; David Hicks, Co-founder of the Sandworld Festival; and Naorem J. Singh, Minister for Culture at the High Commission of India in London, United Kingdom (UK).
- At the Sandworld 2025 International Sand Art Festival, Sudarsan Pattnaik sculpted a stunning 10-foot-high statue of Lord Ganesha, conveying the powerful message of ‘World Peace.’ This artwork drew immense appreciation from global visitors and contributed significantly to the cultural and spiritual ambiance of the event.
Main Point :- (i) The prestigious Fred Darrington Sand Master Award coincided this year with the 100th birth anniversary of the legendary British sculptor Fred Darrington. The festival, held at Lodmoor Park, has long been a hub for international sand art, renowned for showcasing massive and intricate sculptures made purely from sand and water.
(ii) The Sandworld exhibition, open till November 2025, features remarkable works from renowned artists across the globe. It has earned global recognition for its artistic excellence, attracting tourists, professionals, and art lovers from various countries, making it a unique platform for creative expression in sand sculpting.
(iii) Hailing from Odisha, Sudarsan Pattnaik has represented India in over 65 international sand sculpture championships. He was conferred the Padma Shri in 2014 for his outstanding contribution to arts. Recently in 2024, he also won the Golden Sand Master Award and a gold medal at the championship in St. Petersburg, Russia.
____________________________
