A distinguished and outstanding cartoonist, a highly dignified personality who had drawn impressive cartoons for several decades in national dailies and weeklies viz Jagran, Jansatta, Navbharat Times, Dinmaan, Shankar’s weekly, Current,Blitz, Ravivar, Dharam Yug, Saptahik Hindustan, Chauthi Duniya , National Herald, Rajasthan Patrika , Amar Ujala and Prabhasaakshi – Harish Chandra Shukla alias KAAK meaning crow has died at the age of 85 sending shock waves in journalist and cartoon fraternity including his fans. He breathed his last due to cardiac arrest on first January.
Harish Chandra Shukla known as Kaak meaning crow in Hindi was his pet alias name used in all his Cartoons.
Seldom did his readers knew about his real name.
Born in 1940 known with the name of “Kaak” Harish Chandra Shukla was an editorial cartoonist in majorly Hindi newspapers and a caricaturist having been also elected as the president of Cartoonist Club of India.
A source of inspiration for several working and budding cartoonists he was tremendously revered among his fraternity having also won several awards and honours viz Kaka Hathrasi Samman by Hindi Academy in 2003, Kerala Lalit Kala Academy and Kerala Cartoon Academy award in Ernakulam, Kochi in 2009, Life time achievement award by Indian Institute of cartoonists, Bangalore in 2009, National Excellence Award for journalism in 2006 by Press Council of India. In 2011 the then president of India Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam felicitated this legendary cartoonist with prestigious Life Time Achievement Award at Cartoon festival for his outstanding contribution for several decades in drawing interesting and unique cartoons in several national dailies and periodicals earning tremendous accolades. The cartoonists all over the country have lost a legendary cartoonist and above all a gem of a human being who inspired hundreds of budding cartoonists to join this profession. The first cartoon of KAAK Sahab was published in Dainik Jagran in 1967 never to look back again. Commonly known as the Cartoonist of the masses Harish Chandra Shukla aka KAAK majorly drew the cartoons pertaining to the common masses of the grass roots highlighting their ground zero issues. Om Shanti
