Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and Tamil Nadu’s new Chief Minister, actor-turned-politician C Jospeh Vijay, received a special tribute from sand artist Sudarsan Patnaik, who created a huge statue in his honor at Puri beach in Odisha after the party’s stellar performance in the 2026 Assembly elections.
The artwork, which was shared on May 9, a day before Vijay was sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, quickly caught attention online and elicited a heartfelt response from the TVK leader. It is an elaborate sand statue of Vijay with the inscription “Congratulations, Vijay Anna” on it.
Re-sharing the artwork on social media on Tuesday, May 12, Vijay wrote, “A huge thank you to legendary sand artist Thiru. @sudarsansand. Avl. for this amazing creation! Your talent never fails to amaze. Deeply touched by this beautiful gesture.”
The artist’s post dated May 9 read: “Heartiest congratulations to #ThalapathyVijay Anna! 😇 My sand art on Puri beach, Odisha.”
The gesture quickly caught Vijay’s attention, with the TVK chief publicly expressing his gratitude for the honour.
Read also | CM Vijay received a special thank you note from the makers of Suriya and Trisha’s Karuppu for giving him permission to show at 9 am
Why was the 2026 election a watershed moment for Vijay?
Vijay and TVK’s win was widely praised online.
Voting to select members of the 234-member assembly was held on April 23, while the results were announced on May 4. In what many described as one of Tamil Nadu’s biggest political upheavals in recent years, TVK emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats in its first election round.
Vijay contested from two constituencies – Perambur in Chennai and East Tiruchirappalli – and scored victories in both. Although TVK narrowly missed the majority mark of 118 seats, the party later received enough support to form the government, paving the way for Vijay to take over as chief minister.
Who is Patnaik?
Patnaik, who is based in Puri, is internationally known for his sand art and has received numerous international awards and accolades for his work.
His creations have also been exhibited at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and New Delhi, where they received widespread appreciation and enthusiastic response from audiences.
