I want to dedicate international award to the nation: Sudarsan

New Delhi, Jun 26,2008 : A polar bear's appeal for saving
the planet trounced 12 other entries from across the world for
the coveted International Sand Sculpture award.
The bear holding a placard with the message to 'save my
family' atop a globe, by noted sand sculptor Sudarsan Patnaik
has won the World Championship for best sand sculpture in
Berlin. Patnaik who created the 25-feet high sculpture wants
to dedicate the award to his motherland.
Speaking on phone from Ruhr (Germany) to PTI, Sudarsan
says, "It is for the first time that any Indian has bagged
this prize. It's really a honour for me. I want to dedicate it
to the nation."
Patnaik, currently in Germany, plans to meet the President
in Delhi and hand over the honour to her. "I have sent a
letter to the President's office seeking her permission and
appointment. I will try to meet and present my award to her,"
he says.
Patnaik, along with his student Jitendra Kishore Jagadev,
took 56 hours over a period of seven days to create the
sculpture.
Even though he was elated over the honour, Patnaik said he
was disappointed that there was no media coverage of the
event. "The event was covered by the entire international
media. It is very sad that Indian media failed to give its
required space," he says.
"I have only received an email from Meera Shankar, Indian
Ambassador to Germany. But even she didn't congratulate me in
person," he adds.
Despite the fact that I won a prize for India for the
first time, nobody from the government contacted me or
extended their wishes. Had our cricket team won any such
honour, the whole nation would have been elated, says Patnaik.
"Art has still not taken over the popularity and space in
media that cricket gets," he says.
Patnaik, 31, was born in coastal town of Puri, Orissa and
became famous internationally for his unique sculptures that
he started making over 20 years ago.
Patnaik also runs an open air Golden Sand Art Institute at
Puri beach, which was set up in 1994 to train national and
international students to develop sand art as a profession.
Many students from India and abroad get enrolled for
regular and short term courses every year.
Patnaik has won many national and international
acclamations, and wants to take his art-form to the world. He
has also penned a book on 'sand-art'.
"People outside our country are quit aware of it and
appreciate sand sculptures. But, here in our country it is
rarely known by many. My aim is to make sand-art more
popular," he says, adding "I will be happy to see it in school
textbooks as a course."
The award was chosen by an International Sand Sculpture
Committee from among participants from 12 countries. US and
Holland got the second and third positions respectively. The
sculptures would remain for public view for a fortnight.