Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 03:
With the primary aim of enhancing the overall concepts of cartoon in the State, Sarad Sharma, a cartoonist representing World Comics India (WCI) is currently holding a weeklong workshop on communication skills under the aegis of the Diocesan Social Service Society (DSSS) that began from Sunday at the Retreat House, Mantripukhri.
Talking to mediapersons today, Sarad Sharma said that he has so far conducted around 40 workshops across the country and that the respective State Govt had even bought various cartoons from the workshops for public display.
Elaborating on the World Comics India (WCI), Sarad said that it is a conglomeration of artists, social activists and journalists formed in 2002.Stating that the WCI is a powerful tool for social transformation, Sharad said that workshops organized by the NGOs and social activists, have helped people with little formal training, illustrate and write on regional issues.
He also informed that a cartoon strip exhibition will be organized at the premises of the Manipur Press Club on Friday.
Representatives of various social bodies and NGOs of the State numbering 26, who are taking part in the ongoing workshop, presented their cartoons based on various social problems confronting the society.
A cartoonist Sonam Lama reflected in her sketches how development takes place in a village when people unite and form self help group while Dimdong's visual brings out the how people shift from cultivating paddy to horticulture as their paddy fields were attacked by rats in Tamenglong dist.
Other social issues including drug abuse, alcoholism, lack of savings, dependency nature of people, injustice towards widows, irresponsible and uneducated children, over burdened women, water scarcity, child labour etc are also reflected in the cartoons so far drawn by the participants.
Meanwhile Manipur Press Club has decided to hold a cartoon drawing competition for school children in the first week of June.