Footage filmed on Thursday showed Pattnaik putting the finishing touches to the tribute in Odisha. The sculpture features an aeroplane alongside the message, "Salute to Captain Smit Machchhar".

Pattnaik said the artwork was created to honour the Indian pilot and pray for his recovery.

"Today we have created the sand sculpture as an artist to salute Captain Ji, who is a real hero today around the world ," Pattnaik said.

"The entire world is saluting him for he is the person who saved other lives," he continued. "We feel very proud as he is Indian."

Local resident Suveeshesh Bharadhwaj also praised Machchhar and wished him a quick recovery.

"The whole world today is proud of Captain Smit Machchhar, who has saved so many lives," he said.

"He is a great son of our soil and we are really proud of him and we wish him a very speedy recovery and really it's a brave act which he has done," he continued.

Machchhar was captain of flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport on September 30.

Flydubai said an altercation occurred on the flight deck and that crew members travelling on the aircraft brought the plane under control before it was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The airline said all passengers and crew were safe and accounted for.

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority described the episode as a security incident. It said crew members were injured and taken to hospital, while investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Machchhar was later transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE for further treatment.

The Indian Embassy in the UAE said on Thursday that the captain was in good health and recovering well after Ambassador Deepak Mittal visited him in hospital.