Sonepur (Odisha), Jan 13 (IANS): India will play their first match in the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup against Spain on Friday at Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela at 7 p.m., for which people across Odisha are sending their best wishes to team India.

Renowned sand artist from the state and Padma Shree awardee Sudarshan Pattnaik has created a rich husk mosaic art at Sonepur on the theme of World Cup Hockey with the message 'Chak De India'.

Pattnaik, on the invitation for Sonepur Mohatsav from the district administration, Sonepur, designed the rice husk mosaic art of the World Cup Hockey trophy to cheer team India and also send a message to the world that art can be created from anything as it is done in Sonepur from rice husk.

The mosaic art of rice husk is made in an area of 4682 sq. ft. where around 100 bags of rice husk was used with help of 10 students from his institute in the indoor stadium of Sonepur. The mosaic art was created in six hours.

He said that this mosaic art will be showcased in the Sonepur Mohatsav that is going to start from January 14. After the end of the exhibition, all rice husk will be returned to the owner for its reuse, Pattnaik said.

It was an overwhelming experience for him as he was joined by many school students, and he got the opportunity to interact with the students and also teach them about art.