The selected cartoons appeared first in other publications, either in print or online, or on social media, and are credited appropriately.
In today’s featured cartoon, E.P. Unny joins the country in paying a silent tribute to Lata Mangeshkar, the legendary singer who passed away Sunday at the age of 92 in Mumbai. As the nation enters a two-day mourning period, Unny shows the national flag — flown at half-mast — adorned with musical notations.
Alok Nirantar’s illustration, featuring notations as footsteps, shows Lata Mangeshkar leaving for her heavenly abode, leaving behind a rich musical legacy for posterity.
Nala Ponnappa remembers Lata Mangeshkar’s soulful song ‘Rahe Na Rahe Hum‘. A nightingale sings it on a sign of Peddar Road, Mumbai, where the ‘Nightingale of India’ resided — here, as a tribute, it’s renamed Lata Road.
Sandeep Adhwaryu also pays tribute to the musical legend, depicting a gramophone player, swathed in the colours of the Indian flag, pointing its speaker towards a starry sky — there is a bright new star in the heavens tonight.
Sajith Kumar’s simple illustration plays with notations to spell RIP. Beneath it, a bouquet of flowers pays respect to Lata Didi, as she was lovingly called.
Satish Acharya recollects another timeless tune sung by Lata Mangeshkar — ‘Yeh Zindagi Usi Ki Hai‘. He shows the great singer bowing from the heavens, as beneath her stand millions of fans in mourning, showing respect and eternal gratitude.
R. Prasad, takes a dig at the Modi government’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao‘ (save daughter, teach daughter) initiative. He refers to the ongoing controversy in Karnataka, where many educational institutions have seen protests by Hindu students, sporting saffron scarves, demanding a ban on Muslim students wearing the Hijab. The controversy took a new turn after several Hijab-clad students were denied entry to their institutions on 3 February.