BHUBANESWAR: Acclaimed sand sculptor Sudarshan Patnaik was appointed as president of Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday. The post had remained vacant after sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra resigned following his nomination to Rajya Sabha. Earlier, a selection committee headed by the Vice-chancellor of Utkal University of Culture, had suggested three names for the post, to the Chief Minister.
Patnaik has participated in more than 50 international sand art championships and festivals around the world and won several prizes. The sculptor, who had received the Padmashree Award in 2014 apart from various national awards, had been organising the International Sand Art Festival in Odisha in collaboration with the Tourism and Culture Department.
He has been actively involved in creating social awareness on global warming, terrorism, culture and health through his art. “I will work for the uplift of the artists in the State. I am thankful to the Chief Minister for giving me this opportunity,” he said.