Pattnaik created a sand sculpture on the issue with a message 'Please express views creatively' at Puri beach of Odisha today.
"Returning award is not the solution or a way to protest against intolerance. We should protest through our talents like writing articles, creating art, film and others," he said in a statement.
Making an appeal to the writers, artists and others protesting intolerance, Pattnaik said they should protest through their creative works instead.
The sand artist created the images of trophies and medals and used about three tons of sand to create the four-feet high sand sculpture.