IGNOU partners with Sudarsan Pattnaik to launch India's first online sand art courses

New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, IGNOU has collaborated with renowned sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik to launch two online courses on sand art through the government's SWAYAM platform.
    The free courses -- Introduction to Sand Art and Principles and Formats of Sand Art -- are designed and delivered by Pattnaik, an official statement of IGNOU said on Tuesday.
    Aimed at learners across age groups and backgrounds, the courses seek to promote Indian art globally and nurture creativity through structured digital learning, it added.
    "This collaboration embodies the vision of NEP 2020 to integrate Indian Knowledge Systems and art forms into mainstream education," IGNOU Vice Chancellor Uma Kanjilal said at the launch held at the university’s headquarters here.
    "This is the first such initiative to offer structured courses on sand art," she added.
    Pattnaik said it was his 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," he said.
    Both courses include video lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on assignments, with certificates offered upon completion.
    While the introductory course covers basic tools and techniques, the advanced module explores large-scale compositions and storytelling through sand.
    The courses are now open for enrolment at -- onlinecourses.swayam2.ac.in.
    IGNOU said the initiative aligns with its mission to democratise education and showcase Indian art forms on global digital platforms.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)