In preparation for the upcoming 18th BRICS Summit, set to take place in New Delhi on September 12-13, Odisha’s renowned sand artist Manas Kumar Sahoo has unveiled a captivating sand animation. This artwork aims to warmly welcome the leaders of BRICS nations as India assumes its chairmanship in 2026.
Sahoo’s creation features prominent figures including Russian President Vladimir Putin, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with a depiction of Bharat Mandapam, the chosen venue for the summit.
“The BRICS Summit is taking place in India, and numerous delegates are arriving. To welcome all the BRICS members, we have created a sand animation in Puri. Using just a handful of sand, we have depicted the portraits of President Putin, the President of South Africa, President Xi Jinping, and our Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Sahoo shared in an interview with ANI.
According to the artist, the intricate work took him eight hours to complete. He expressed pride in the piece, which he considers a distinctive greeting for the summit attendees.
“We have also illustrated the event venue, Bharat Mandapam in Delhi, through this vibrant, colourful sand animation. It took eight hours to complete this artwork… I feel proud because it serves as a unique welcome for the delegates and BRICS leaders in India… BRICS leaders, welcome to incredible India. With this theme, we have done this sand animation,” Sahoo stated.
As the summit approaches, preparations are in full swing in New Delhi. The BRICS Business Forum is already in progress, gathering business and government representatives from member countries.
Among the speakers at the forum are External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, and Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal.
In his opening remarks, BRICS Business Council Chair Jai Shroff highlighted that India’s chairmanship focuses on four key priorities: Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability, which he noted are crucial for both government and business sectors.
Shroff also emphasized viewing BRICS as an economic network rather than merely a collection of large markets, highlighting the potential for collaboration in areas such as manufacturing, technology, capital, and business partnerships.
The main summit activities are set to commence on September 12, where leaders will discuss various initiatives under India’s presidency and strategies to enhance strategic partnerships. Key agenda topics include trade, digital technology, finance, energy security, global governance reform, resilient supply chains, cross-border payments, national currencies, MSMEs, digital trade, and artificial intelligence.
