Sudarsan Pattnaik  

Maha Shivaratri, the "Great Night of Shiva," is a sacred Hindu festival celebrated with great fervor and devotion by millions of Hindus around the world. It is a time to honor Lord Shiva, the destroyer of evil and the embodiment of grace and compassion. This year, the occasion was marked by a spectacular display of artistry by renowned sand artist and Padmashree awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik, hailing from Puri, Odisha.
 

The president of 'Promuovi Scorrana' Vito Maraschio sent an invitation to Pattnaik to participate in the World Sand Sculptures Championship. In India, Pattnaik was awarded Padma Shri by the union government in 2014.
 

Padma Awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik has won the People's Choice Award for his sand sculpture that highlighted the message of combating plastic pollution in oceans.