Bhubaneswar: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has launched two online courses on sand art in collaboration with acclaimed sand artist from Odisha Sudarsan Pattnaik.
September 15 is the deadline for enrolling for these free courses, ‘Introduction to Sand Art’ and ‘Principles & Formats of Sand Art’, which will be offered through the Ministry of Education’s SWAYAM platform at onlinecourses.swayam2.ac.in. It is available for learners of all age groups and backgrounds.
Pattnaik has designed these courses in a structured online format. “It is my dream to make sand art a global symbol of Indian creativity. With IGNOU and SWAYAM, we are now empowering thousands to learn this art from anywhere. This is not just a course but a celebration of India’s heritage and storytelling through sand. I thank the Ministry of Education and IGNOU for making Sand Art a vocational and skill-based education form,” he said.
Each course consists of video lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on assignments. Learners will receive certificates upon successful completion. The introductory course focuses on basic tools, techniques, and creative expression, while the advanced course explores large-scale sand sculptures, thematic installations, and the cultural narratives behind this unique art form, an official statement of IGNOU said.
Vice-chancellor of IGNOU Prof Uma Kanjilal said that this is the first such initiative to offer structured courses on sand art. “This collaboration embodies the vision of NEP-2020 to integrate Indian Knowledge Systems and art forms into mainstream education. Through SWAYAM, we are proud to bring sand art to the fingertips of learners across the country and the world,” she said.
The course was launched at the IGNOU headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday.