Globally Acclaimed Sand Artist Sudarsan Pattnaik Celebrates 20 Years of Earth Hour with Sand Art at Puri Beach
From Sydney to Puri: Sudarsan Pattnaik’s Sand Art Honours Two Decades of Earth Hour with WWF-India
Puri, Odisha: Renowned sand artist, Padma Shri awardee and Earth Hour Legacy Ambassador for WWF-India, Sudarsan Pattnaik, today unveiled a spectacular sand sculpture at Puri Beach, commemorating the 20-year journey of Earth Hour—an initiative led globally by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
The sand art captures the evolution of Earth Hour—from its first global observance in Sydney in 2007 to its present-day reach, inspiring over 190 countries worldwide. It features symbolic imagery of the Earth, global landmarks, and people uniting for climate action. Pattnaik, a globally recognised artist, recently won an international sand art competition and represented India as the sole participant at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello 2026, further cementing his international acclaim.
Speaking about the sand art, Sudarsan Pattnaik said, “This artwork depicts the inspiring journey of Earth Hour—from a single city in Sydney in 2007 to a global movement uniting over 190 countries today. It reflects how small individual actions, like switching off lights for one hour, can come together to create a powerful impact for our planet and inspire a sustainable future.”
In India, the movement is spearheaded by WWF-India, uniting citizens, government bodies, institutions, and businesses to take meaningful steps for the environment.
Earth Hour in India has evolved far beyond the symbolic “switch-off” moment. It now represents a nationwide movement encouraging people to dedicate one hour to actions that benefit the planet—from community clean-up drives and tree plantation campaigns to biodiversity walks, cycling events, and sustainability workshops.
On March 28, 2026, citizens across India are encouraged to switch off non-essential lights for one hour between 8:30 pm and 9:30pm and engage in activities supporting environmental conservation. People can also organise local clean-up campaigns, reduce energy consumption, plant trees, cycle instead of driving, or simply spend time reconnecting with nature.
By giving just one hour for the Earth, every citizen can contribute to building a greener, healthier, and more sustainable India for generations to come.
For further details please contact:
Komal Chaudhary- Senior Manager- Media Comms & PR | kchaudhary@wwfindia.net
