Must Read

‘His works brightened up lives’: PM leads tributes for cartoonist Narayan Debnath

Narayan Debnath leaves behind a rich legacy wherein his comic strips like Handa Bhonda (1962), Batul the Great (1965) and Nonte Phonte (1969) regaled generations of Bengalis.

Kolkata |
January 19, 2022 8:25:06 am

Padma Shri awardee Narayan Debnath (Twitter/@CartoonistsInd)

Tributes poured in for noted cartoonist and Padma Shri awardee Narayan Debnath after he passed away on Tuesday after a prolonged illness in Kolkata. He was 96 and is survived by two sons and a daughter. He leaves behind a rich legacy wherein his comic strips like Handa Bhonda (1962), Batul the Great (1965) and Nonte Phonte (1969) regaled generations of Bengalis.

He was admitted to a private hospital on December 24 with neurological and respiratory problems and was put on ventilator support on January 17 after his condition deteriorated. Doctors at the hospital said Debnath breathed his last around 10.15 am. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his heartfelt condolences over his demise. “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,” he said in a tweet.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also paid her tributes to the acclaimed cartoonist. “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 Bantul the Great, Handa- Bhonda, Nonte- Fonte, figures that have been etched in our hearts for decades,” she said in a tweet.