Puri (Odisha) [India], March 31 (ANI): Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand sculpture of veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani with the message "Congratulations! Living legend L K Advani ji" at Puri Beach in Odisha on Saturday.
Earlier, the Government of India had announced Bharat Ratna for former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani. The honour to BJP veteran LK Advani will be conferred at his residence.
Pattnaik has created a 5-foot-high sand art of L K Advani on being conferred Bharat Ratna. The artist used 4 tonnes of sand to create the sculpture, which took him over 5 hours to complete.
So far, Padma-awardee artist Sudarsan has participated in more than 65 international sand art competitions and festivals around the world and won many prizes for the country. He is known for spreading awareness through his art.
Speaking to ANI, the noted artist said, "Lal Krishna Advani being conferred Bharat Ratna is a very big moment. For me, he is a very big legend. Those who work for the nation are praised by him. Once, when I was going abroad to participate in an international sand art festival, my password was lost, and then I met CM Naveen Patnaik. He spoke to L K Advaniji then and immediately my passport was issued and then I could participate in the event. As he is being conferred with Bharat Ratna, I have created a sand art depicting congratulations! Living legend L K Advani ji."
President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday conferred Bharat Ratna on four eminent personalities, including two former Prime Ministers, Chaudhary Charan Singh and PV Narasimha Rao. Former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur and agronomist MS Swaminathan were also conferred with the country's highest civilian award.
The central government announced five names for the Bharat Ratna this year, which also included BJP leader LK Advani.
Sources said that President Murmu will pay a visit to senior BJP leader LK Advani's residence and confer him with the prestigious award. This was decided in view of the ailing health of veteran BJP leader Advani, they added.
Born in Karachi, in present-day Pakistan, on November 8, 1927, Advani has served as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest period since its inception in 1980. Capping a parliamentary career of nearly three decades, he was, first, the Home Minister and, later, the Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999-2004). (ANI)
