By Our Correspondent in Puri, February 5, 2016 : Famed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik on Friday has built a sand sculpture to welcome Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi to the State with message “Welcome to Odisha and I pray for India” at Puri beach.

Modi is visiting Jagannath Temple at Puri on Sunday.

In the sand sculpture, Pattnaik created Lord Jagannath and Sri Jagannath temple with the slogan of the Prime Minister, “Swachha Bharat, Make in India, Digital India, Skill India, Smart city”, and prime minister’s face.

Pattnaik used about six tonnes of sand with some coloured sand to make this sculpture. Students of his sand art institute helped him to complete the sculpture.

“I want to welcome our prime minister through my sand sculpture to Sri Jagannath Dham. I also pray Lord Jagannath that he will bless Modiji to get success to achieve his ‘Ek Bharat’, ‘Shreshta Bharat’ dream,” said Pattnaik.

Padmashri Sudarsan has participated in more than 50 International sand art championships and festivals around the world and won many prizes for the country.