Mumbai: Political cartoonist Vikas Sabnis completed 50 years of illustrious career in 2018 and his achievements were celebrated on Wednesday at the Swatantra Veer Savarkar Smarak, Mumbai. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief, Raj Thackeray felicitated Sabnis.
“It’s unfortunate the space for political cartoons and caricatures is diminishing in the mainstream newspapers. Editors today have failed to realise the value of political cartoons. A hard hitting political caricature can speak louder than an editorial of a newspaper,” said Thackeray, who himself is a political cartoonist. Thackeray added many more Sabnis are required today to restore the importance of this art.
Inspired by Bal Thackeray and R K Laxman, Sabnis started his career in 1968. “Co-incidentally, the first caricature that Sabnis made in 1968, was the same year I was born in,” said Thackeray. Since 1968, for over 50 years, Sabnis has worked as a staff cartoonist at various newspapers, including the Times of India and the Mid-day. “I have made caricatures and political cartoons on various subjects and issues.
These ranges from local to international levels. Each day was a new challenge and I have enjoyed every bit of it,” said Sabnis. Sabnis has also won international accolades, as one of his cartoons of the then US secretary of state, Henry Kissinger during the Vietnam war had made a furore among the US citizens. Veteran journalist Shirish Kanekar was also present.
