Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik on Wednesday appointed renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik as the President of Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi.
The prestigious post had remained vacant after famous sculptor and Padma Vibhushan recipient Raghunath Mohapatra resigned following his nomination to Rajya Sabha by the President.
Born in Puri in 1977, Sudarsan has been creating sand sculptures on the Puri sea beach, creating awareness on several key issues including world peace, global warming, cleanliness drive among others.
In 2014, Sudarsan was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India,for his contribution in the field of art.
Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi is the apex body in the field of art under the state government.
Also Read : Sudarsan Patnaik Wins Jury Gold Medal At World Sculptures Championship
Ms Kalinga