Sudarsan Pattnaik appointed Brand Ambassador for Census 2027

Exam-focused facts from the 4 April 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Sudarsan Pattnaik, Padma Shri (2014) awardee and Guinness World Record holder for the tallest sand castle (48 feet 8 inches, Puri 2017), named Brand Ambassador for Census 2027 by the Government of India (GoI).
Census 2027 will be the 16th Census of India and the 8th after independence, conducted under the Census Act 1948 by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGI).
Census 2027 is the first digital census in the country and its official mascots are Pragati (female) and Vikas (male).
Pattnaik uses sand art for social campaigns on climate change, Covid-19 and children’s rights and has represented India in international art festivals and exhibitions.