Puri, Aug. 15 -- On the occasion of India's 80th Independence Day, renowned sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik created a special patriotic sand sculpture at Puri Beach in Odisha on Friday, carrying the message "Happy Independence Day, Unity in Diversity" to celebrate the spirit of freedom, patriotism, unity, and national pride.

The artwork features the Indian Tricolour at its centre with two peacocks positioned on either side, symbolising India's rich cultural heritage, beauty, and unity. Orange represents courage and sacrifice, white signifies peace and truth, green symbolises prosperity and growth, while the Ashoka Chakra stands for justice and continuous progress.

Through the 7-foot sand sculpture, created with the ...