KOLKATA: Cartoonist Narayan Debnath, the creator of Bengali comic characters 'Bantul The Great', 'Handa Bhonda' and 'Nonte Phonte', died in Kolkata on Tuesday morning after a prolonged illness, said the hospital where he was undergoing treatment.
He was 97.
Debnath, a Padma Shri awardee, died at 10.15 am, an official of the hospital said.
He was admitted to the private hospital on December 24 and was on ventila
KOLKATA: Iconic Bengali cartoonist and Padma Shri awardee Narayan Debnath passed away on Tuesday at a private healthcare facility in Kolkata. Debnath, 97, was known for his popular cartoon characters like ‘Bantul The Great’, ‘Handa Vonda’ and ‘Nonte Phonte’.
The nonagenarian was admitted to the private facility on December 24 and was on ventilation support. Debnath was was hospitalised several times last year due to age-related ailments.Tributes poured in from all walks of life, including West CM Mamata Banerjee and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Mamata, who was personally monitoring Debnath’s health condition, expressed her grief. ‘‘I am deeply saddened by the demise of eminent writer and cartoonist Narayan Debnath. He breathed his last in Calcutta today,’’ she tweeted. ‘‘We were proud to bestow upon him Bengal’s prominent award Banga Bibhusan in 2013. His death is an irreparable loss in the world Bengali literature,’’ she posted in another tweet.
‘‘Getting nostalgic-on Jan 31, 2021 when Sudesh Dhankhar & myself went to enquire about health NarayanDebnath at Belle Vue Clinic, the legend blessed us and instantly drew this masterpiece to be over cherished by us. Pray Almighty to bestow eternal peace to the noble soul,’’ tweeted Dhankhar, who had met Debnath at the hospital.
tor support.