Sudarsan Pattnaik Pays Tribute to Captain Smit Machchhar with Sand Art at Puri Beach
Renowned sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik has honoured the bravery of Captain Smit Machchhar, a Mumbai-based pilot originally from Gujarat, through a stunning sand sculpture at Puri Beach.
Captain Machchhar was injured while handling an emergency aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, where his courageous actions ensured passenger safety.
Pattnaik’s artwork carried the message “Salute to #CaptainSmitMachchhar — Get Well Soon!”, symbolising admiration and prayers for the pilot’s recovery.
Sharing the sculpture on social media, Pattnaik praised Machchhar’s courage, noting that his actions touched lives across India, Israel, and the UAE.
With nearly 9,750 flying hours, mostly on Boeing 737 aircraft, Captain Machchhar joined Flydubai in 2022 as a direct-entry captain after more than a decade at SpiceJet, where he served as a Line Training Captain.
This tribute highlights Odisha’s tradition of using art to honour national heroes and showcases Pattnaik’s commitment to blending creativity with social messages.
