Pran Kumar Sharma, popularly known as Pran, was a renowned Indian cartoonist and comic book creator. He was born on August 15, 1938, in Kasur, Punjab, British India, and passed away on August 6, 2014, in Mumbai, India.
Pran is best known for creating the iconic Indian comic book character, Chacha Chaudhary. Chacha Chaudhary, a middle-aged man with a red turban and a white mustache, was known for his wit, intelligence, and problem-solving abilities. The character quickly became a household name and was published in numerous languages across India.
Pran’s career as a cartoonist began in the 1960s when he started working for the Delhi-based newspaper, Milap. He later worked for other publications, including the Blitz and the Indian Express. In 1971, he started his own comic book series, which included characters such as Shrimatiji, Billoo, and Pinki. These characters became extremely popular among Indian children and adults alike.
In recognition of his contributions to Indian comics, Pran was awarded numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri in 1999, the fourth-highest civilian award in India. He was also the first Indian cartoonist to be awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Indian government.
Pran’s legacy as a cartoonist and comic book creator lives on today through his characters and the countless readers who continue to enjoy his work. His impact on Indian popular culture is immeasurable, and he will always be remembered as one of the most beloved cartoonists in India’s history.
About the Author
Pran saw a cartoon on a vegetable paper bag in his childhood and was inspired to make cartoons. He was really inspired by his drawing teacher in school, who didn’t have a thumb, yet he could draw beautiful drawings.He used to take half hour nap in the afternoon. Youngest child of seven brothers and sisters, he loved the last chapatti his mother used to cook on chullah. Crispy and perfectly cooked. Pran ji never believed in God. He never went to Mandir or even prayed. He was a believer of humanity. After passing with distinction from Sir JJ School of Arts he didn’t get a job of a drawing teacher in school. That’s why he started drawing cartoons and created a legacy. He is perhaps the only cartoonist, who created more than 20 different cartoon characters, and each series is still running regularly in different newspapers every week. This he did single handedly.
