Rashtriya Patrakar Divas observed at Tilak Patrakar Bhavan
Nagpur: “Sarcastic criticism is the birth-right of a cartoonist, for he highlights the truth from ironically witty angle, and it is didactic and instructive as well. So the society must accept it sportively,” said renowned cartoonist Rajiv Gaikwad.
He further said, “In the age of competition and professionalism, a cartoonist cannot be underestimated. A cartoon is not only an artistic presentation, but also it effectively instructs and guides those in power and the society as a whole. This art is a gift by birth.”
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Gaidwad was speaking as a key-note addresser during observance of Rashtriya Patrakar Divas on Monday at Tilak Patrakar Bhavan under the joint auspices of Directorate of Information and Public Relations–Nagpur and Amravati Divisions and Nagpur Shramik Patrakar Sangh in collaboration with Tilak Patrakar Bhavan Trust.
Those seated on the dais were Director (I&PR) Mohan Rathod, NUWJ president Brahmashankar Tripathi, Trust president Pradeep Maitra, secretary Shirish Borkar, senior journalists Vishalkar Indulkar, Joseph Rao, Jaydeep hardikar, DIO Anil Thakre and Asstt Director Jaganath Patil.
According to Gaikwad, as professionalism has developed in journalism the cartoonists are underestimated while the fact is that as an editorial conveys its focus on some issue, a cartoon too focuses on similar footage. Despite dominance of social or electronic media, the role of cartoonists like R K Laxman, Manohar Sapre, Rajendra Puri and others has been significant in the newspapers.
He stressed the need of freedom of expression for cartoonists; and the freedom should not be confined to tur daal, batate and other things related to dearness. While drawing a political cartoon, the cartoonist should enjoy complete freedom, he added.
Pradeep Maitra, Shirish Borkar and Mohan Rathod expressed their views on the occasion.
The proceedings were conducted by Naresh Meshram while the vote of thanks was proposed by DIO Anil Thakre.
A large number of journalists and students of Journalism were present in the programme.
