These are the days of social media memes. Yet the cartoons have survived. They have the power to provoke and shape opinion. Cartoons are inherently an art of ridicule. As an art, it emerged from the streets. It is one-sided communication. In the newsroom, it has been made more gentlemanly. If you fear that the cartoon has the potential to offend, the cartoon is likely to become aseptic and bland. Why to have such a cartoon?

Political cartoons originated in the 18th century London. Colonial India has a thriving tradition of graphic satire. David Low’s cartoons made an impact on the public. Shankar is the father of Indian cartooning.

Cartoonists draw ire across the political spectrum. A cartoon often speaks louder than a 100 editorials. The words and caricatures have to jive. They cannot stand alone. Cartoons have the constraints of space and attention. Within a few square inches, it has to arrest the attention of the audience.