Pran Kumar Sharma | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1938-08-15)15 August 1938 |
| Died | 5 August 2014(2014-08-05) (aged 75) Gurgaon, India |
| Occupation | Cartoonist |
| Known for | Creator ofChacha Chaudhary |
| Awards | Padma Shri 2015 |
Pran Kumar Sharma (15 August 1938 – 5 August 2014), better known asPran, was an Indian cartoonist best known as the creator ofChacha Chaudhary (1971).[1][2] He also created other characters likeShrimatiji,Pinki,Billoo, Raman, and Channi Chachi.
Born inKasur,British India, in aPunjabi HinduBrahmin family. Pran graduated with a BA from Gwalior and Master of Arts (Political Science) degree from evening Camp College, Delhi. He then pursued a five-year course inFine Arts fromSir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai through distance as a private student while in Delhi, so that he could apply as a drawing teacher at schools, but he discontinued.[2]
Pran began his career in 1960 as a cartoonist for the Delhi-based newspaperMilap with comic stripDaabu. Apart from 'this, Indian comics scenario was largely based on reprints ofThe Phantom andSuperman.[3] In 1969, Pran sketchedChacha Chaudhary for the Hindi magazineLotpot, which made him famous.[4] Pran has also created other cartoon characters likeShrimatiji,Pinki,Billoo,Raman,Channi Chachi and others, which are regularly published in Indian magazines. Pran reached lakhs of Kannadigas through his Putti, Raman that were published in Kannada daily Prajavani and Shrimathi which publishes in Kannada magazine Sudha. He was included inPeople of the Year 1995 byLimca Book of Records for popularizing comics in India.[5]In 1983, the thenPrime Minister of India, Mrs.Indira Gandhi released Pran's comics "Raman – Ham Ek Hain" which promoted national integration. Pran received aLifetime Achievement Award 2001, from Indian Institute of Cartoonists.[6] Pran has also given lessons in cartooning at the Pran's Media Institute, run by his son Nikhil.[1][2]
Maurice Horn notes that Pran has been given the title of "Walt Disney of India" inThe World Encyclopedia of Comics.[7] TheChacha Chaudhary strips find permanent place inInternational Museum of Cartoon Art, United States.
He had been suffering fromcolon cancer and subsequently was admitted to a hospital in Gurgaon, where he died on 5 August 2014 at approximately 9:30 pm local time.[8] He was posthumously awarded thePadma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 2015.[9]
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