Sudarsan Pattnaik Honored with Prestigious Fred Darrington Award

Renowned Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik meets President Droupadi Murmu following his receipt of 'The Fred Darrington' award in the UK, recognizing his significant contributions to sand art. Celebrated at Sandworld 2025, Pattnaik created a poignant 10-foot-high sculpture of Lord Ganesha advocating for world peace.

Renowned Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, on Thursday. This visit followed his recent accolade, 'The Fred Darrington' award, bestowed upon him in the United Kingdom earlier this month for his outstanding contributions to the art form.

The prestigious Fred Darrington award was presented to Pattnaik at the Sandworld 2025 International Sand Art Festival in Weymouth, where he crafted a striking 10-foot-high sculpture of Lord Ganesha with the inspiring message 'World Peace.' The award ceremony saw Mayor Jon Orell of Weymouth honoring Pattnaik with the award and medal.

Prominent figures like Mark Andersen, Director of Sandworld, and co-founder David Hicks attended the event, along with Naorem J Singh from the Indian High Commission in London. Known for creating art that raises awareness on issues such as HIV, AIDS, and global warming, Pattnaik also runs a sand art school in Odisha and has won numerous accolades in over 65 international sand art events & festivals.

(With inputs from agencies.)