Sand artist Sudarshan to create AIDS awareness

Bhubaneswar, Apr 27 : Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik will create AIDS awareness through his art at the World Sand Art Championship to be held in Canada from May 10.

Sudarshan is the only Indian to have been selected for the five day event where all world sand sculptors of the last 16 years would participate at British Columbia near Vancouver city.

The sand artist from the holy city of Puri was selected for winning the last world sand sculptor championship held in Berlin.

His theme then was Mahatma Gandhi's non-violence as a means to achieve world peace.

Sudarshan told UNI that he would like to create awareness on HIV/AIDS during the championship through his art depicting people praying to Lord Ganesh to save them from the horrors of the dreaded disease.

For jthe last two years, Sudarshan is on the job creating awareness about HIV/AIDS through his sand sculpture at Puri beach in Orissa. He said he would create an 8-feet high image of Lord Ganesh and people praying to him to save them from AIDS which has been spreading at an alarming rate causing widespread concern. He would be assisted by his student Manas Kumar Sahoo.

The artist said nearly 14 participants from all over the world including US, Canada, Holland, China and Australia would represent their respective countries in the championship.

Sudarshan has participated in more than 27 international sand sculpture championships around the world and won many awards for the country. His sand sculpture on Black Taj Mahal has received worldwide acclaim.

Some of his creations in sand include tsunami, poaching of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles, recreation of world famous Sun Temple at Konark, torture in Abu Ghraib prison, war and peace, super star Amitabh Bachchan, Lord Ganesh and Taj Mahal.

UNI