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{{Short description|Indian cartoonist and author}} | |||
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'''Attupurathu Mathew Abraham''' (11 June 1924 – 1 December 2002), pen name ''Abu'', was an Indian [[cartoonist]], journalist, and author. In a | '''Attupurathu Mathew Abraham''' (11 June 1924 – 1 December 2002), pen name ''Abu'', was an Indian [[cartoonist]], journalist, and author. In a career spanning 40 years, Abu Abraham worked for various national and international newspapers including ''[[The Bombay Chronicle]]'', ''[[Shankar's Weekly]]'', ''[[Blitz (newspaper)|Blitz]]'', ''Tribune'', ''[[The Observer]]'' (1956–1966), ''[[The Guardian]]'' (1966–1969), and ''[[The Indian Express]]'' (1969–1981). | ||
He was a lifelong [[atheist]] and [[rationalist]].<ref>"His strongest theme, as India sank faster into factional and religious politics, had remained adherence to the original vision of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru for a wholly secular state: Abu was a rationalist and atheist." Michael McNay, 'Obituary: Abu Abraham', ''The Guardian'', 7 December 2002, Pg. 26.</ref> | He was a lifelong [[atheist]] and [[rationalist]].<ref>"His strongest theme, as India sank faster into factional and religious politics, had remained adherence to the original vision of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru for a wholly secular state: Abu was a rationalist and atheist." Michael McNay, 'Obituary: Abu Abraham', ''The Guardian'', 7 December 2002, Pg. 26.</ref> | ||
==Early years== | ==Early years== | ||
Born in [[Mavelikara]], Kerala<ref name="Bryant">Mark Bryant, ''Fleet Street's Star of India'', History Today, '''57'''(6) pp. 58–59 (June 2007)</ref> as the son of A.M. Mathew and Kantamma, Abu started drawing cartoons at the age of 3. After studying French, Mathematics, and English at [[University College, Thiruvananthapuram]] (Trivandrum) and being the tennis champion, he graduated in 1945.<ref name="Bryant"/> | Born in [[Mavelikara]], Kerala<ref name="Bryant">Mark Bryant, ''Fleet Street's Star of India'', History Today, '''57'''(6) pp. 58–59 (June 2007)</ref> as the son of A.M. Mathew and Kantamma, Abu started drawing cartoons at the age of 3. After studying French, Mathematics, and English at [[University College, Thiruvananthapuram]] (Trivandrum) and being the tennis champion, he graduated in 1945.<ref name="Bryant"/> | ||
==Work in London== | ==Work in London== | ||
In 1953, he met Fred Joss of the London ''[[The Star ( | In 1953, he met Fred Joss of the London ''[[The Star (1888)|Star]]'', who encouraged him to move to London.<ref name="Bryant"/> At 32, Abu arrived in London in the summer of 1953 and immediately sold cartoons to [[Punch (magazine)|''Punch'' magazine]] and the ''[[Daily Sketch]]'' and started to contribute material to ''Everybodys' London Opinion'' and ''Eastern World'' using the pen name 'Abraham'.<ref name="Bryant"/> In 1956, after two cartoons were published in ''[[Tribune (magazine)|Tribune]]'', he was sent a personal letter by [[David Astor]], the editor of ''[[The Observer]]'', the world's oldest Sunday newspaper, offering him a permanent job as its first ever political cartoonist. Astor asked Abu to change his pen name as 'Abraham' would imply a false slant on his cartoons, and so he settled on 'Abu', a schoolboy nickname of his.<ref name="Bryant"/> | ||
He was described in ''[[The Guardian]]'' as "the conscience of the Left and the pea under the princess's mattress".<ref name="Bryant"/> He also produced reportage drawings from around the world. In 1962 in [[Cuba]] he drew [[Che Guevara]] and spent three hours in a nightclub with [[Fidel Castro]].<ref name="Bryant" /> | |||
==Return to India== | ==Return to India== | ||
He returned to [[India]] with his first wife (Sarojini, from [[Tamil Nadu]], who he later divorced) and two daughters, | He returned to [[India]] with his first wife (Sarojini, from [[Tamil Nadu]], who he later divorced) and two daughters, Ayisha and Janaki, in 1969 to work as the political cartoonist on the ''Indian Express'' until 1981. In 1970 he was given a special award by the [[British Film Institute]] for a short film based on [[Noah's Ark]] called ''No Arks''.<ref name="Bryant" /> From 1972 until 1978, he was nominated a member of the [[Rajya Sabha]], the upper house of the Indian Parliament.<ref name="Bryant" /> | ||
In 1975 [[Indian Emergency (1975 - 77)|Indian Emergency]] was declared and the freedom of the press was suspended, and Abu fell out of favour with [[Indira Gandhi]]. The direct result of this was the publication of the book ''Games of the Emergency'' in 1977, which contained the political articles and cartoons that he could not print during the Emergency. As well as illustrating other books, other collections of his cartoons were ''Abu on Bangladesh'' (1972), ''Private View'' (1974), and ''Arrivals and Departures'' (1983). He also edited the ''Penguin Book of Indian Cartoons'' (1988).<ref name="Bryant" /> | In 1975 [[Indian Emergency (1975 - 77)|Indian Emergency]] was declared and the freedom of the press was suspended, and Abu fell out of favour with [[Indira Gandhi]]. The direct result of this was the publication of the book ''Games of the Emergency'' in 1977, which contained the political articles and cartoons that he could not print during the Emergency. As well as illustrating other books, other collections of his cartoons were ''Abu on Bangladesh'' (1972), ''Private View'' (1974), and ''Arrivals and Departures'' (1983). He also edited the ''Penguin Book of Indian Cartoons'' (1988).<ref name="Bryant" /> | ||
From 1981, Abu worked as a freelancer, syndicating his work to several newspapers and commencing a new strip cartoon, ''Salt and Pepper''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Qureishi|first=Humra|title=Cartoonist who provokes you to think|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031102/spectrum/main4.htm|newspaper=The Sunday Tribune|date=2 November 2003}}</ref> The crow and the elephant in this philosophical strip begin to take over from the political cartoons, according to his daughter Ayisha Abraham. In 1988 Abu moved back to Kerala.<ref name="Bryant" /> He died on 1 December 2002 and was survived by his British-born wife Psyche. His death was marked by a two-minute silence in the Rajya Sabha and he was cremated with full state honours.<ref name="Bryant" /> | From 1981, Abu worked as a freelancer, syndicating his work to several newspapers and commencing a new strip cartoon, ''Salt and Pepper''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Qureishi|first=Humra|title=Cartoonist who provokes you to think|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031102/spectrum/main4.htm|newspaper=The Sunday Tribune|date=2 November 2003}}</ref> The crow and the elephant in this philosophical strip begin to take over from the political cartoons, according to his daughter Ayisha Abraham. In 1988 Abu moved back to Kerala.<ref name="Bryant" /> He died on 1 December 2002 and was survived by his British-born wife Psyche. His death was marked by a two-minute silence in the Rajya Sabha and he was cremated with full state honours.<ref name="Bryant" /> | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{Portal|Biography}} | |||
* [http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3AAbu+Abraham%2C&dblist=638&fq=ap%3A%22abu+abraham%22&qt=facet_ap%3A Abu Abraham bibliography at WorldCat] | * [http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3AAbu+Abraham%2C&dblist=638&fq=ap%3A%22abu+abraham%22&qt=facet_ap%3A Abu Abraham bibliography at WorldCat] | ||
*[https://www.theguardian.com/video/page/0,,2080893,00.html No Arks, animation film written by Abu Abraham] | *[https://www.theguardian.com/video/page/0,,2080893,00.html No Arks, animation film written by Abu Abraham] | ||
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*[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031102/spectrum/main4.htm Report from Spectrum, The Tribune] dated 2 November 2003. | *[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031102/spectrum/main4.htm Report from Spectrum, The Tribune] dated 2 November 2003. | ||
*[http://www.rediff.com/news/oct/31abu.htm Rediff.com article] | *[http://www.rediff.com/news/oct/31abu.htm Rediff.com article] | ||
* | *{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20170926002212/http://www.cartoonistsindia.com/htm/homage.htm Homage from Indian Institute of Cartoonists]}} | ||
{{Cartoonists from Kerala}} | {{Cartoonists from Kerala}} | ||
{{Authority control}} | {{Authority control}} | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abraham, Abu}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Abraham, Abu}} | ||
[[Category:Indian atheists]] | [[Category:Indian atheists]] | ||
[[Category:Indian editorial cartoonists]] | [[Category:Indian editorial cartoonists]] | ||
[[Category:Malayali people]] | [[Category:Malayali people]] | ||
Latest revision as of 09:19, 5 May 2025
| Abu Abraham | |
|---|---|
| Born | Attupurathu Mathew Abraham 11 June 1924 Mavelikara, Travancore, British India |
| Died | 1 December 2002 (aged 78) |
| Area(s) | Cartoonist |
| Pseudonym(s) | Abu |
Attupurathu Mathew Abraham (11 June 1924 – 1 December 2002), pen name Abu, was an Indian cartoonist, journalist, and author. In a career spanning 40 years, Abu Abraham worked for various national and international newspapers including The Bombay Chronicle, Shankar's Weekly, Blitz, Tribune, The Observer (1956–1966), The Guardian (1966–1969), and The Indian Express (1969–1981).
He was a lifelong atheist and rationalist.[1]
Early years[edit | edit source]
Born in Mavelikara, Kerala[2] as the son of A.M. Mathew and Kantamma, Abu started drawing cartoons at the age of 3. After studying French, Mathematics, and English at University College, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and being the tennis champion, he graduated in 1945.[2]
Work in London[edit | edit source]
In 1953, he met Fred Joss of the London Star, who encouraged him to move to London.[2] At 32, Abu arrived in London in the summer of 1953 and immediately sold cartoons to Punch magazine and the Daily Sketch and started to contribute material to Everybodys' London Opinion and Eastern World using the pen name 'Abraham'.[2] In 1956, after two cartoons were published in Tribune, he was sent a personal letter by David Astor, the editor of The Observer, the world's oldest Sunday newspaper, offering him a permanent job as its first ever political cartoonist. Astor asked Abu to change his pen name as 'Abraham' would imply a false slant on his cartoons, and so he settled on 'Abu', a schoolboy nickname of his.[2]
He was described in The Guardian as "the conscience of the Left and the pea under the princess's mattress".[2] He also produced reportage drawings from around the world. In 1962 in Cuba he drew Che Guevara and spent three hours in a nightclub with Fidel Castro.[2]
Return to India[edit | edit source]
He returned to India with his first wife (Sarojini, from Tamil Nadu, who he later divorced) and two daughters, Ayisha and Janaki, in 1969 to work as the political cartoonist on the Indian Express until 1981. In 1970 he was given a special award by the British Film Institute for a short film based on Noah's Ark called No Arks.[2] From 1972 until 1978, he was nominated a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.[2]
In 1975 Indian Emergency was declared and the freedom of the press was suspended, and Abu fell out of favour with Indira Gandhi. The direct result of this was the publication of the book Games of the Emergency in 1977, which contained the political articles and cartoons that he could not print during the Emergency. As well as illustrating other books, other collections of his cartoons were Abu on Bangladesh (1972), Private View (1974), and Arrivals and Departures (1983). He also edited the Penguin Book of Indian Cartoons (1988).[2]
From 1981, Abu worked as a freelancer, syndicating his work to several newspapers and commencing a new strip cartoon, Salt and Pepper.[3] The crow and the elephant in this philosophical strip begin to take over from the political cartoons, according to his daughter Ayisha Abraham. In 1988 Abu moved back to Kerala.[2] He died on 1 December 2002 and was survived by his British-born wife Psyche. His death was marked by a two-minute silence in the Rajya Sabha and he was cremated with full state honours.[2]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "His strongest theme, as India sank faster into factional and religious politics, had remained adherence to the original vision of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru for a wholly secular state: Abu was a rationalist and atheist." Michael McNay, 'Obituary: Abu Abraham', The Guardian, 7 December 2002, Pg. 26.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Mark Bryant, Fleet Street's Star of India, History Today, 57(6) pp. 58–59 (June 2007)
- ↑ Qureishi, Humra (2 November 2003). "Cartoonist who provokes you to think". The Sunday Tribune.
External links[edit | edit source]
- Abu Abraham bibliography at WorldCat
- No Arks, animation film written by Abu Abraham
- Abu Abraham's cartoons at the British Cartoon Archive[permanent dead link]
- Frontline Archives
- Report from Spectrum, The Tribune dated 2 November 2003.
- Rediff.com article
- Homage from Indian Institute of Cartoonists[usurped]