Yesudasan

Who is Yesudasan?

Chackalethu John Yesudass, better known as Yesudasan, is a popular cartoonist from Kerala.

Born on June 12, 1938, in Bharanikavu near Mavelikkara, Yesudasan published his first cartoon in 1955 in a magazine called 'Asoka' published from Kottayam. He entered the world of political cartoons in 1960, drawing for Janayugom, the Malayalam daily of the Communist Party. He worked there for three years, drawing a pocket cartoon with the character 'Kittumman', after which he joined Shankar's Weekly in Delhi. From 1969, he was the editor of Balayugam, a children's magazine in Malayalam and edited Asadha, Cut-Cut and Tuk-Tuk, popular satirical magazines on politics and cinema. He joined the Malayala Manorama group in 1985 as staff cartoonist, running cartoon columns in the paper and The Week magazine.

Yesudasan has authored four books — 'Aniyara', 'Pradhama Dhrusti', 'Post Mortem' and 'Varayile Nayanar'. He was cartoonist of the year award winner of Thiruvananthapuram Press Club in 1990 and 1992. He is the founder chairman of Kerala Cartoon Academy and Former President of the Kerala Lalitakala Academy. He wrote the dialogues for the Malayalam film 'Panchavadi Palam' by director K. G. George.