A Chronicle of Bengali Wit and Artistic Resistance — Now Between Two Covers

In April 2022, the Indian Institute of Cartoonists in Bengaluru hosted a landmark exhibition commemorating 150 years since the first Bengali political cartoon appeared in Amrita Bazar Patrika. The overwhelming response to the exhibition revealed a long-standing gap — the absence of a comprehensive resource that could transcend provincial boundaries and bring to light the extraordinary legacy of Bengali cartoonists in the broader narrative of Indian cartooning.

This book is born out of that urgency. Not just a pictorial archive, it is a journey through time — a tribute to the sharp minds and deft hands that shaped public opinion, critiqued power, and elevated satire to an art form. From colonial resistance to contemporary commentary, Bengali cartoonists have consistently stood at the crossroads of humour and dissent, and this volume attempts to do justice to that journey.

For readers, researchers, and art-lovers alike, this book opens a new window into the world of Indian political cartooning — one where Bengal played a pioneering role. A collector’s treasure and a historian’s resource — this is not just a book, but a cultural document.