Check out sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik's giant Santa Claus sculpture (WATCH)

Christmas cheer in Odisha was rung in by a giant 27-foot sand and tomato Santa Claus installation crafted by well-known sculptor Sudarsan Pattnaik rang in the Gopalpur beach. Thousands turned up to get a glimpse of the artwork. 

Pattnaik claimed that this is the world's biggest tomato and sand installation of Santa Claus, weighing 1.5 tonnes and 60 feet wide. The Padma Shri awardee took the help of 15 of his students to complete the sculpture at Ganjam district's Gopalpur beach.

In a Twitter post, he said: "#TomatoSanta world's biggest Tomato with Sand #SantaClause installation." 

Later, speaking to media persons, the 45-year-old artist said: "We have set records on Christmas earlier too by creating the biggest Santa Claus using different mediums. This time, we used tomato and sand."

Earlier this month, after India officially took over the chair of the grouping in November, Pattnaik created the logo of India's G20 presidency on the sand. In December 2020, he crafted a giant three-dimensional sand installation of two Santas holding a mask, bearing the message of wearing masks in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

For his immense contribution to art, he was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2014.