Kolkata: Legendary artist-illustrator Narayan Debnath, whose comic strips in Bengali children’s magazines have attained a cult following for close to 60 years, passed away at a private hospital here on Tuesday following old age complications.
Debnath, 96, breathed his last at 10-15 AM at Belle Vue Clinic, family sources said.
He was admitted to the hospital on December 24 following acute weakness, low haemoglobin count as also lungs and kidney problems.
He was conferred the Padmashri Award at the hospital last Thursday.
Debnath was an icon for the Bengali readers, particularly the pre-teens and teenagers, who have for ages enjoyed hearty laughs provided by his evergreen cartoon characters.
The journey began with the funny stories of two friends Handa Bhoda (1962), which continued for over half a century - considered a record of sorts as the longest running comic strip by an individual artist.
The vest-and shorts clad superhero Batul the Great (1965), and the antics of boarding school mates Nonte Fonte (1969), and their plump superintendent are his other immortal creations.
Condoling his demise, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called it an irreparable loss to the world of Comic strips. (UNI)
