Sessions for kids to mark 100 years of Malayalam cartoon

KOCHI

: Noted cartoonists of Kerala are all set to celebrate the centenary year of the art of lampooning in

Malayalam

this October. They also pledged to ensure that the art reached underprivileged children in the state at the Cartoon Festival 2019 at Marine Drive here, marking the World Cartoonist Day on Sunday.


“Mahakshama Devatha (The Goddess of Famine) by P S Govinda Pillai was the first Malayalam cartoon that appeared in the magazine Vidushaka in 1919. It depicted the famine in Travancore post World War I,” recalled noted artist Asif Ali Komu who curated the festival.

In the 100 years of Malayalam cartoon, the state has produced several great cartoonists who kept the fire burning, said Kerala Cartoon Academy former vice-chairman Ibrahim Badushah. “In a bid to ensure that this

unique art

form reaches the underprivileged and orphaned kids, members of Cartoon Club of Kerala, in association with NGO Petals Globe Foundation, would organize cartoon classes,” he said.

Federal Bank and Axis Bank, as part of their corporate social responsibility, will support the initiative. Badushah also plans to draw record number of cartoons in a single day as part of the centenary celebrations.

A jumbo cartoon demonstration by all the child participants at the Cartoon Festival was unveiled by cartoonist Babu and artist Hassan Kottamparambil. The festival was inaugurated by Kochi mayor Soumini Jain. Celebrity caricaturist Santosh Iritty, Prince Cartoonist and other members of the Cartoon Club presented their works to the participating children. More such festivals and programmes for children would be organized, said chief coordinator of the event Rahmat Ali.


Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, Location Guesser and Mini Crossword.