Odisha-born sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has been selected for Moscow World Sand Sculpture Championship 2013.
"I have been selected to represent India at the Moscow World Sand Sculpture Championship 2013. I received the invitation from Pavel Mynilkov the Chairman of selection committee," Pattnaik said in a statement.
The championship will be held from April 21 to 28 in Moscow. Apart from India, participating countries include Russia, Italy, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Spain, Poland among others.
The theme this year is 'Secret of the World', he said.
"I am very happy to represent India at this World Championship. I plan to create a sculpture of Lord Ganesha, dispeller of obstacles and symbol of world peace. Nowadays violence has increased in every part of the world, so I have decided to create Ganesha," the artist said.
Born in Puri, the 36-year-old sand artist has won many accolades for India at national and international forums including one World Championship title and more than 10 People's Choice prizes.
Pattnaik won the Gold medal in People's Choice prize at 2nd Moscow World Sand Sculpture Championship in 2010 for his sand sculpture of Bollywood star of yesteryears, Raj Kapoor.
