<p>Puri: Renowned sand artist Padma Shri Sudarshan Pattnaik marked World Tiger Day on Tuesday with a stunning sand sculpture on Puri beach in Odisha, drawing large crowds of tourists. Created in collaboration with WWF-India, the artwork aimed to raise awareness about tiger conservation and the need to protect ecological balance.</p><p>The sand art made on this year's theme, "India Strides with the Stripes", featured a majestic 20-foot-long tiger alongside 50 smaller tigers, all sculpted using nearly 10 tonnes of sand. Pattnaik and his team completed the artwork in just over three hours.</p><p>The initiative, supported by the Forest Department Office (DFO), attracted a significant crowd at Puri Beach, turning the celebration into a visual and educational experience. World Tiger Day is celebrated on July 29 every year to promote global efforts to protect the endangered species.</p>
