Veteran Bengali Cartoonist Narayan Debnath Passes Away
Kolkata: Veteran Bengali cartoonist Narayan Debnath passed away at a private hospital in Kolkata on Tuesday morning after a prolonged illness. He was admitted to the hospital on December 24, 2021, and was on ventilator support. He was 97.
According to son Tapas Debnath, “He was admitted in the hospital on December 24 with kidney and lung problems.”
Mamta Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, said, “Extremely sad that the noted litterateur, illustrator, cartoonist, and creator of some immortal characters for children’s world, Narayan Debnath is no more. He had created figures that have been etched in our hearts for decades.”
“We were proud to bestow upon him Bengal’s highest award Banga Bibhusan in 2013. His passing away is certainly an immeasurable loss to the world of literary creativity and comics. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, readers, and countless fans and followers,” she added.
“Sad at the demise of Padma Shri Narayan Debnath, legendary cartoonist and creator of immortal characters Bantul the Great, Handa-Bhonda, Nonte-Fonte for children’s world. Huge loss to the world of literary creativity and comics. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans,” West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar tweeted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Shri Narayan Debnath Ji brightened several lives through his works, cartoons, and illustrations. His works reflected his intellectual prowess. The characters he created will remain eternally popular. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”
Narayan Debnath was born in Shibpur, Howrah, in 1925. He created popular Bengali comic strips, including Handa Bhonda (1962), Bantul the Great (1965), and Nonte Phonte (1969). He holds the record of the longest-running comics by an individual artiste for Handa Bhonda, a comic series that ran continuously for 53 years.
He was the only Indian cartoonist to have received a Doctorate in Literature. The cartoonist was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021. He received the fourth-highest civilian honour while undergoing treatment last week. He was also a recipient of the Sahitya Academy Award and the Banga Bibhsuan in 2013.
Narayan Debnath is survived by two sons and a daughter.
(Avya Mathur)
