Sudarsan Pattnaik inspires youth through his sand art

On the occasion of National Youth Day, Padma Shri Awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik created sand art on 'Green environment' to inspire the youth.

In a time when the environment faces a huge threat, the artist decided to grab the attention of thousands with his sand sculpture that displayed the message: ‘Youth call for Green Environment’ at the Puri beach in Odisha.

The Indian government, in 1984, decided to celebrate January 12 as Yuva Diwas in order to commemorate the birth anniversary of India's spiritual leader, Swami Vivekananda. Since 1985, the country annually observes National Youth Day with great enthusiasm.

It is believed that the philosopher had brought about a change in the mindset of the youth. The main objective behind celebrating his birth anniversary is to encourage the younger generation to learn from his philosophies and ideals to lead a better life.

This year, the tallest Vivekananda statue is set to be inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Jharkhand in Ranchi on Saturday. The bronze statue stands 33 feet tall and has been built on one of the islands, according to The Pioneer. The statue has been built at a cost of Rs 17 crore.