Pran Kumar Sharma better known as Pran, is one of the most successful India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n cartoonists, best known as the creator of Chacha Chaudhary

Chacha Chaudhary

Chacha Chaudhary is a popular Indian comic book character, created by cartoonist Pran. The comic comes in ten Indian languages including Hindi and English and has sold almost ten million copies. Chacha Chaudhary has also been made into a television series with Raghuvir Yadav playing...

(1971).

Early life and education

Born in Kasur

Kasur

Kasur , the capital of Kasur District in Pakistan. Kasur is located adjacent to the border of Ganda Singh Wala between Pakistan and India, and is a tourist attraction because of the daily occurring Flags lowering ceremony...

, now in Pakistan, Pran graduated with a Master of Arts (Political Science) degree. He then completed a four-year course in Fine Arts from Sir J. J. School of Art

Sir J. J. School of Art

The Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy School of Art , is the oldest art institution in Mumbai, and is affiliated with the University of Mumbai...

, Mumbai

Mumbai

Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

.

Career

Pran began his career in 1960 as a cartoonist for the Delhi

Delhi

Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...

-based newspaper Milap with comic strip Daabu. Apart from Daabu, Indian comics scenario was largely based on reprints of The Phantom

The Phantom

The Phantom is an American adventure comic strip created by Lee Falk, also creator of Mandrake the Magician. A popular feature adapted into many media, including television, film and video games, it stars a costumed crimefighter operating from the fictional African country Bengalla.The Phantom is...

 and Superman

Superman

Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...

. In 1969, Pran sketched Chacha Chaudhary

Chacha Chaudhary

Chacha Chaudhary is a popular Indian comic book character, created by cartoonist Pran. The comic comes in ten Indian languages including Hindi and English and has sold almost ten million copies. Chacha Chaudhary has also been made into a television series with Raghuvir Yadav playing...

 for the Hindi

Hindi

Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...

 magazine Lotpot

Lotpot

Lotpot is a Hindi comic magazine published by Mayapuri Group of publications. 'Lotpot' title was registered by Mr.A.P.Bajaj in 1969 and first issue came out in same year and has been published without a break since then. Initially it was a fortnightly magazine which later on switched to weekly...

, which made him famous. Pran has also created other cartoon characters like Shrimatiji, Pinki

Pinki (comics)

Pinki a comics series by Diamond Comics characterizes a five years old girl. The Character of Pinki was created by Cartoonist Pran Kumar Sharma in year 1978. The comic is distributed in 10 languages. Pinki is often seen with her pet squirrel named Kut-Kut. The other notable characters in this...

, Billoo

Billoo

Billoo is a popular Indian comic character created by Pran Kumar Sharma. It is published by Diamond Comics. The character was created in 1973....

, Raman

Raman

In the Indo-Iranian world Raman is:*one of the names of the Hindu God Rama*an important divinity in Zoroastrianism----Raman may refer to*Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, Indian physicist and Nobel laureate, discoverer of Raman scattering...

, Channi Chachi and others, which are regularly published in Indian magazines. He was included in People of the year 1995 by Limca Book of Records

Limca Book of Records

Limca Book of Records is a record book of Indian origin. First published in 1990, when the Limca Brand was owned by Parle Group. The book continued to be published by Coca-Cola, when they bought the Limca Brand. The 20th edition of this book was released by Amitabh Bachchan in March 2009...

 for popularizing comics in India.
In 1983, the then Prime Minister of India

Prime Minister of India

The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...

, Mrs. Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...

 released Pran's comics "Raman

Raman

In the Indo-Iranian world Raman is:*one of the names of the Hindu God Rama*an important divinity in Zoroastrianism----Raman may refer to*Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, Indian physicist and Nobel laureate, discoverer of Raman scattering...

 - Ham Ek Hain" which promoted national integration. Pran received a Lifetime Achievement Award 2001, from Indian Institute of Cartoonists. Pran has also given lessons in cartooning at the Pran's Media Institute, run by his son Nikhil.

Maurice Horn, the editor of World Encyclopedia of comics, has described him as "Walt Disney

Walt Disney

Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...

 of India" in World Encyclopedia of comics. The Chacha Chaudhary

Chacha Chaudhary

Chacha Chaudhary is a popular Indian comic book character, created by cartoonist Pran. The comic comes in ten Indian languages including Hindi and English and has sold almost ten million copies. Chacha Chaudhary has also been made into a television series with Raghuvir Yadav playing...

 strips find permanent place in International Museum of Cartoon Art, USA.

External links

• Official website
• Pran profile at Indian Institute of Cartoonists