London: World-renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has received a rare honor. For his contributions to the art of sand sculpting, he was awarded the "The Fred Darrington Sand Master Award." The award was presented to him by Weymouth city mayor John Orrell at the 2025 International Sand Art Festival, which began on Saturday in Weymouth, Southwest England.

Before the award ceremony, Sudarsan Pattnaik unveiled a 10-foot-tall sand sculpture of Lord Ganesha with a message of “World Peace.” The sculpture was part of his participation in the festival and showcased his signature creative style using sand.The British government presents this award annually in memory of the legendary British sand artist Fred Darrington. Sudarsan Pattnaik has created history by becoming the first Indian artist to receive this prestigious award. This year’s UK Sand Festival featured participation from 65 internationally renowned sand artists.