Veteran cartoonist T. Samuel, who is also known as the father of pocket cartoons in India, was felicitated by Kollam Press Club at his residence in Gulmohar Park, New Delhi. The event was organised by Kollam Press Club, which recently hosted an exhibition of 50 masterpieces by the artist in Kollam, his native place in Kerala.
Samuel, who is known for capturing the essence of a whole generation of Indians and for depicting Indian political way of life with dignified irony, was unable to make it to the exhibition. Therefore, members of the club decided to honour the cartoonist in Delhi, where he resides. He was presented ‘Ponnada’, a silk cloth as a gesture of honour and respect, by N. Peethambara Kurup, the MP from Kollam Parliamentary constituency.
The artist’s cult cartoon characters, Babuji and Garib, dealt with common people and their common issues. He borrowed ideas from his personal life — from growing up in the remote pockets of Kerala to serving in the British Indian Army in Burma during World War II and then witnessing Partition — and also from his immediate social and political surroundings. He took a plunge into the world of journalism with the appearance of his first cartoon in Civil & Military Gazette of Lahore during the chaotic period following Partition.
In 2009, T. Samuel came out with an exhaustive book, “Never a Dull Moment”, which allowed readers a peek at his eventful life.
His cartoon “Babu ji” was considered to be the most famous feature of Indian press by New York times.
