Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has been awarded “The Fred Darrington” in the United Kingdom for his contributions to the art form.<\/p>\n

The first British Sand Master Award was presented during the Sandworld 2025 International Sand Art Festival held in Weymouth.<\/p>\n

To mark the occasion, Mr Pattnaik created a 10-foot-high sand sculpture of Lord Ganesha with the message “World Peace.”<\/p>\n

This year’s festival saw participation from several international sand artists, who showcased a wide range of intricate and creative sculptures. The event also commemorated the 100th birth anniversary of legendary sand sculptor Fred Darrington from Weymouth, after whom the award is named.<\/p>\n

The award and medal were presented to Mr Pattnaik by the Mayor of Weymouth, Jon Orell. Director of Sandworld, Mark Andersen, and co-founder David Hicks, were also present at the ceremony. Naorem J Singh, Minister (TNC and Culture) at the Indian High Commission in London, attended the event as well.<\/p>\n

Organisers noted that this was the first time the award had been presented to an Indian artist.<\/p>\n

Mr Pattnaik, a Padma Shri awardee, has participated in over 65 international sand sculpture championships and festivals worldwide, earning numerous accolades for his work.<\/p>\n

On this occasion, Mr Pattnaik said, “Big day for me to get the award in 2025. As an artist, for me it is very big. I dedicate this to all my fans and those who encouraged me.”<\/p>\n

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)<\/i><\/p>\n

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