On a particularly slow day, all I have to do is sit down with a Nonte-Phonte comic book, and my troubles will lay forgotten to one side. I imagine it’s the same for most people who are fans of Narayan Debnath and his fictional characters from the small town of Paschimpara, West Bengal.
Debnath holds the record of longest-running comics by an individual artiste for his Handa Bhonda comics series that completed its continuous 53 years of running. He was also the only comic artist in India who received a D.Litt degree.Debnath was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India, in 2021. Narayan Debnath Dies at 97: Mamata Banerjee Mourns Demise of the Legendary Cartoonist.
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 and survived by two sons, a daughter and a granddaughter. Debnath, who was handed the Padma Shri award while undergoing treatment
Cartoonist Narayan Debnath, creator of renowned Bengali comic characters, died in Kolkata on Tuesday. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid tribute.
In his career spanning over six decades Debnath created comic characters such as Bantul The Great Handa Bhonda and Nonte Phonte all of which are household names in Bengal