From India to Britain and back: The cartoonist who fought censors with a smile

Published: 7/7/2025
From India to Britain and back: The cartoonist who fought censors with a smile
Abu Abraham was an influential political cartoonist who fearlessly critiqued power dynamics through his work, notably during the 1975 Emergency in India. His cartoons captured the media's subservience during this period of suspended civil liberties, reflecting similar concerns in contemporary India's press freedom. Abu's iconic drawings, including those depicting President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed in a bathtub signing proclamations, remain relevant today in a landscape where dissenting voices face challenges. Born in Kerala, Abu's career spanned reporting and cartooning across Europe and India, leaving a lasting legacy in political satire.