Odisha sand sculptor, minister pitch for Bharat Ratna to Biju Patnaik

Sambad English Bureau Published On : Aug 12, 2014 at 3:07 PM Updated On : Aug 12, 2014 at 3:14 PM

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Aug 12:

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Internationally acclaimed sand sculptor from Odisha Sudarsan Pattnaik and Cooperation and Excise minister Dr Damodar Rout have made a strong case for awarding the coveted Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in India, to former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik.

Pattnaik created a 5 feet high sand sculpture “Bharat Ratna for Biju Babu’ on the Puri beach yesterday to make the pitch.

Earlier in the day, the noted sculptor wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi arguing his case for award of Bharat Ratna to Biju.

“It is my humble appeal to you to consider Late Biju Pattnaik for the Bharat Ratna award for the year 2014 based on his historic contribution during India’s freedom struggle and early independence era,” Patnaik said in his letter.

On his part, Dr Rout said Biju Patnaik had made immense contributions to the nation’s cause during the last six decades of the 20th century. While welcoming the move to confer the coveted award on Netaji Subhash Bose and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the minister made a strong pitch for Biju Patnaik’s name to be included in the list of awardees.