KANNIYAKUMARI: Continuing his quest for more international awards, two-time Guinness World Record holder S Sree Raj sought financial support and recognition from the government.
The 35-year-old artist from Kanniyakumari has been making natural art from used coffee and match sticks.
After his father died when he was six months old, Sree Raj's mother Susheela worked in brick kilns to support her son. Dreaming of completing education and securing a job, he joined an ITI college. However, the looming financial crisis forced him to drop out.
The Manjalumoodu resident decided to pursue his love for art. Initially interested in oil, acrylic and watercolour painting, he slowly transitioned to making artwork using natural products.
In 2022, he made a mosaic art of actor Charlie Chaplin using 3,57,215 matches at Marthandam and earned his first Guinness record.
This year, he created a painting of Queen Elizabeth using coffee powder and water, again entering the Guinness World Records. The painting is around 325 square metres and is showcased at an engineering college near his village.
Despite making the country proud twice, Sree Raj struggles to make ends meet. His mother works as a domestic help and he does wall paintings and small interior artworks for houses in the locality.
However, his heart is set on winning more accolades for the country. He appealed for financial support and recognition from the government to help him achieve more success.