IGNOU launches first-ever online course on sand art

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has launched two SWAYAM online courses on sand art. The courses have been curated and launched in collaboration with Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik.

The IGNOU sand art courses, titled “Introduction to Sand Art” and “Principles and Formats of Sand Art”, are undergraduate certificate programmes that will be delivered in English medium. The introductory course is 12-week long, while the latter course is 6-week long. Both the programmes are available for free.

Each of the SWAYAM sand art courses provided by IGNOU is designed with video lectures, demonstrations, and assignments. According to an official statement, the two courses will introduce students to basic tools, techniques, and creative expression, along with large-scale sculptures, thematic compositions, and the cultural narratives behind sand art. Students will receive a certificate upon successful completion of any of the courses.

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Sand Art Courses: Expertise from Odisha

The sand art certificate courses can be found on the official SWAYAM platform: onlinecourses.swayam2.ac.in. They are crafted for students across all age groups and backgrounds. Pattnaik brings decades of experience in this genre of art from Odisha to provide “structured learning pathways” in the field of visual arts.

Speaking about the sand art courses, Uma Kanjilal, IGNOU vice chancellor, said: “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. This is the first-of-its-kind initiative to offer courses on sand art.”

The launch event was held at the IGNOU headquarters in New Delhi, in the presence of Pattnaik, Kanjilal, and other officials of the university.