Cartoonist Ajit Ninan, known for witty commentary, died in his home in Mysuru on Friday. He was 68.
Born in Hyderabad, the Ninan was best known for his daily cartoon series “Just Like That!” in The Times of India and “Centrestage” in India Today magazine.
For many, he first came to prominence as the creator of the comic strip “Detective Moochhwala”, published in the children’s magazine Target in the 1980s. The revolved around a crime-fighting duo of Moochhwala, the detective with signature V-shaped moustache, and his pet dog, Pooch.
In 2017, he also worked as an illustrator on the bestseller book, My Big Book of Girls!, which challenged gender stereotypes through sketches and stories filled with inspiring messages.
In 2022, the Indian Institute of Cartoonists gave him the Barton Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.
Ninan inspired a generation of Indian cartoonists with his caricatures and piquant one-liners. Here’s how his fans and contemporaries remembered him through his exemplary catalogue of work.
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