Who Is Madhurendra Kumar? Inside Bihar’s Sand Sculptor With 12 World Records

Madhurendra Kumar is an internationally acclaimed Indian sand artist and sculptor from East Champaran, Bihar. Born on 5 September 1994, he is known for monumental sand sculptures with social messages — and for holding 12 world records.

Quick Profile

• Born: 5 September 1994, Barwakala Village, Ghorasahan Block, East Champaran, Bihar
• Ancestral village: Bijbani, Bankatwa Block
• Parents: Shivkumar Sah (farmer) and Gena Devi (homemaker)
• Known for: sand sculpture, leaf art, and socially themed public art
• Reach: 25-plus countries; 50-plus international sand art festivals
• Records: 12 world records

Early Life

Raised in a financially struggling farming family near the India–Nepal border, he supported himself through school and college by:

• Grazing goats from the age of five
• Selling curd door-to-door
• Weaving bamboo baskets
• Working in hotels and painting houses
• Selling vegetables and snacks at village fairs
• Sleeping in a college corridor for nearly six months because he could not afford a hostel room

At three, he was already drawing birds and animals on the ground and slate. His late grandfather, Ramchandra Sah, predicted he would become a great artist.

Training And Degrees

• BFA and MFA in Sculpture — Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith (MGKV), Varanasi
• Intermediate, BFA and MFA in Painting — Prachin Kala Kendra, Chandigarh (First Division)
• Honorary Doctorate (2026) — America International University (AIU), Hollywood, USA

Career Turning Point

In December 2005 he built ‘Sarvadharm Ki Shahadat Dedicated to the Nation’ in Bathinda, Punjab — about 40 feet high, 100 feet long, using roughly 200 tons of sand. Appreciation from Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam pushed him to continue with renewed determination.

What He Makes Art About

His artworks consistently highlight themes such as:

• Environmental conservation and climate change
• Plastic pollution and sustainable living
• Anti-drug awareness
• Water conservation
• Women’s empowerment
• World peace
• Cultural heritage
• Historical figures including Lord Buddha, Mahavira and Mahatma Gandhi

Mediums he has mastered include:

• Sand
• Clay
• Cement
• Metal
• Thermocol
• Grains
• Fruit carving
• Leaf carving

World Records

He holds 12 world records. Some of them include:

• London Book of World Records (2025) for creating more than 5,000 unique sand sculptures promoting positive social awareness, an achievement also honoured at the British Parliament
• Asian Book of World Records (2025) for creating 50 unique sand sculptures depicting the mythological Gaj-Graah battle during the Sonpur Fair
• UN Book of World Records (2026) for producing 50 sand sculptures illustrating the complete life journey of Lord Buddha from birth to Mahaparinirvana
• USA Book of World Records (2026) for creating more than 21,000 unique leaf artworks
• Forbes Book of World Records (2026) for producing more than 100 awareness-driven sand sculptures highlighting public welfare and social development

Awards

International awards include:

• Best Sand Sculpture Artist of the Year (Bhutan)
• Indo-Nepal International Golden Sand Master Award
• Global Peace Ambassador Award (Sri Lanka)
• Honorary Doctorate (2026) from America International University (AIU), Hollywood, USA

Major national awards include:

• Indian Lalit Kala Academy Award (2014)
• Raja Ravi Varma National Award (2020)
• Tilka Manjhi National Award (2023)
• Bharat Gaurav Samman (2025)
• Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Award (2025)
• National Kala Ratna Award (2026)

Campaign Roles

• Election Commission of India during the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections and the 2020 Bihar Assembly Elections, for voter awareness
• Government of India for the Swachh Survekshan 2021–22 campaign
• COMFED (Sudha Dairy) during the National Farmers’ Fair 2024, for farmer empowerment and rural development

Future Plans

• A free Sand Art Academy for children from economically weaker backgrounds
• Work that blends 3D Sand Art with Leaf Art

That is who Madhurendra Kumar is today: a farmer’s son from Bihar whose sand and leaf art now carries India’s voice onto global stages.

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