With a satirical twinkle in his eye and a brush poised above his canvas, Indian political cartoonist, Kirtish Bhatt, has used his humour-infused illustrations to narrate the complex sphere of Indian politics over the years. Born in the quaint town of Jhabua and having studied in various government schools in Madhya Pradesh, the political cartoonist has managed to bridge a persistent divide between jargon-filled political discourse and the common citizen.
Kirtish Bhatt was born in the culture-rich land of Jhabua, a locale known for its political vibrancy. Possessing a natural inclination towards art, Kirtish combined his love for drawing with his observations of local politics, culminating in a fulfilling career as a political cartoonist.
Bhatt's school years were pivotal in shaping his perspective and provided a fertile ground for his unique style of satire. He continued to pursue his passion during his college education where he also sought formal training in Multimedia and Animation. Indeed, the juxtaposition of his academic training and political awareness has underpinned his illustrative storytelling, which today remarks upon contemporary socio-political situations in a witty manner.
Kirtish Bhatt began his journey as a freelance cartoonist during his school days. Through his sketches, he cleverly delivered critiques of societal practices and political circumstances. During his time at college, Bhatt balanced his education with a part-time job as a staff cartoonist position in the Hindi Daily Newspaper "Naidunia," one of India's oldest and most celebrated newspapers in Indore.
As an artist, Bhatt has managed to fuse traditional techniques with modern technology. While he is proficient in freehand drawing and uses it to form his foundational sketches, he also cleverly utilises Photoshop to breathe life into his work. The manipulation of digital tools aids him in enhancing the visual appeal of his cartoons, giving them a polished look while retaining their raw and emotive qualities.
The popularity of his creations brought him into the realm of digital cartooning, where he assumed the role of a graphic designer with an advertising agency.
Currently, Kirtish Bhatt's illustrative prowess graces the webpages of BBC News, where he serves as their Indian languages cartoonist. This transition from local dailies to an international news platform reflects his growing recognition and the universal appeal of his work. At BBC, Bhatt has been able to reach a wider audience, including the vast diaspora of Indians residing overseas.
His work at the BBC addresses a range of topics, exposing economic discrepancies, highlighting political corruption, and emphasising social inequality, to count a few. He accomplishes it all in his characteristic, quick-witted and sharp style which has made him a household name in the world of political cartooning.
Kirtish Bhatt’s most compelling quality is his ability to condense complex political discussions into simple yet spot-on illustrations. His crafts display a striking blend of insight, humour and uncompromising honesty - capturing mindsets, events and personalities that define Indian politics. What makes Bhatt’s work especially poignant are the powerful narratives encapsulated in his seemingly simple drawings. He does not shy away from addressing controversial issues and uses his drawings as a medium to spark constructive conversation among the public. His cartoons are lauded for their clever inclusion of satire, often used as a way to illustrate the ironies in the current political scene.
From newspaper columns in Indore to the global pages of the BBC, Kirtish Bhatt's career underlines the fact - political cartooning is not just about skills or education, but about the ability to look beneath the surface, pick up on the subtle cues, and present them through the universal medium of art and humour. Undoubtedly, as long as the political landscape evolves, Kirtish Bhatt’s pen will continue to bring humour, perspective and voice to the silent majority.
