Govt, corporates should promote artists: Sudarsan Pattnaik

Having traversed an arduous path from a child labour to an acclaimed sand sculptor, Sudarsan Pattnaik laments lack of support for artists and wants government and corporates to encourage and promote those pursuing creative pursuits.
"Our country is home to many artists who are endowed with extraordinary talents but unfortunately most of them fail to hone their skills in the absence of necessary support," said Sudarsan, who recently won the gold medal at the ninth Moscow Sand Sculpture Championship.
"It will be of immense help to art and artists if the government as well as corporate houses take concrete steps to encourage and promote artists as they have been doing in case of sportspersons," said the artist, who was felicitated by Odisha Lalit Kala Academy after his return from the Russian capital.

Stating that artists require financial support and employment opportunities, Sudarsan said steps should also be taken to provide the artists with proper platform to enable them to galvanise their skills and talent.
Referring to sand sculpture, the 39-year-old artist said steps should be taken to impart teaching in sand art to students in educational institutions, including schools and colleges.
Narrating his experience, he said, "I had to undergo a lot

of hardship as a child. I started sand art on Puri beach when I was just eight-year-old. At the same time I was a child labourer and worked as a domestic help till I turned 15."

Sudarsan said he had opened a betel shop and worked in a tea stall for some time as he along with his mother and two brothers faced hard days.
"I had no guru. I learnt the art on my own and there was no godfather," he said, adding years of hard work and struggle had yielded results as he has now been able to establish himself as a globally known artist.
Sudarsan said a turning point came when "I was 22 and the Union Tourism Ministry gave me an opportunity to display my skills abroad. I took part in the first international sand art festival in 1997 in London and was recognised as a sand artist and the journey is on."

Stating that he has so far represented India in about 60 international sand art championships and won awards in at least 20 of these foreign events, Sudarsan said while each award was important to him, he was overwhelmed with joy when complements poured in from all quarters after the gold medal in Moscow championship.
He recalled his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 29 in Delhi after the Moscow achievement. "Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also greeted me at the state secretariat and lauded my achievement," he said.
Sudarsan said his sand sculpture on Mahatma Gandhi spreading the message of global peace won him the gold medal.