Bhubaneswar, Jan 13 (IANS) Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand image Wednesday on the beach in Orissa's Puri town, appealing to people to save the sport of hockey - the country's national game.

Hundreds of tourists visited the site of the sculpture, 56 km from here.

Indian Hockey has faced a crisis in the last few days over non-payment of player dues.

'I was really shocked when I saw on television that the youth icons of national hockey selected for the international competition are suffering. It is a matter of concern,' Pattnaik told IANS.

'Our state Orissa is home to hockey players of international repute such as Dillip Tirky, Lazarus Barla, Ignes Tirky, Probodh Tirky and several others,' he said.

'That is why I created two hockey sticks crossed with a ball on sand, bearing a message 'Save Hockey',' he said, adding that it took him five hours to create the image along with his students.

The artist used eight tonnes of sand to make the sculpture.

Pattnaik has participated in more than 39 international sand sculpture championships across the world and won many awards.