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{{short description|Indian cartoonist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Pran Kumar Sharma
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date |df=yes|1938|08|15}}
| birth_place =[[Kasur]], [[British Raj|British India]]<br />{{small|(present day [[Lahore]], [[Pakistan]])}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2014|08|05|1938|08|15}}
| death_place = [[Gurgaon]], India
| nationality =
| other_names =
| known_for = Creator of [[Chacha Chaudhary]]
| occupation = Cartoonist
| awards= [[Padma Shri]] 2015
}}

'''Pran Kumar Sharma''' (15 August 1938 – 5 August 2014), better known as '''Pran''', was an Indian cartoonist best known as the creator of ''[[Chacha Chaudhary]]'' (1971).<ref name="archive.indianexpress.com">{{Cite web |title=The Adventures of Pran – Indian Express |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/The-Adventures-of-Pran/320405/ |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=The Indian Express}}</ref><ref name="la"/> He also created other characters like [[Shrimatiji]], [[Pinki (comics)|Pinki]], [[Billoo]], Raman, and Channi Chachi.

==Early life and education==
Born in [[Kasur]], [[British Raj|British India]], in a [[Punjabi Hindu]] [[Brahmin]] family. Pran graduated with a BA from Gwalior and Master of Arts (Political Science) degree from evening Camp College, Delhi. He then pursued a five-year course in [[Fine Arts]] from [[Sir J. J. School of Art]], Mumbai through distance as a private student while in Delhi, so that he could apply as a drawing teacher at schools, but he discontinued.<ref name="la"/>

==Career==

Pran began his career in 1960 as a cartoonist for the Delhi-based newspaper ''Milap'' with comic strip ''[[Daabu]]''. Apart from 'this, Indian comics scenario was largely based on reprints of [[The Phantom]] and [[Superman]].<ref>{{cite news
| url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703278604574624211989588066?mod=WSJ_Leisure+%26+Arts_MIDDLEFeatures
| title = Hindu Gods' Avatars on the Page
| newspaper = The Wall Street Journal
| author = Arnie Cooper
| location = Los Angeles
| date = 5 January 2010
| access-date = 2010-01-11
}}</ref> In 1969, Pran sketched [[Chacha Chaudhary]] for the Hindi magazine ''[[Lotpot]]'', which made him famous.<ref name=today>{{cite web | title = Cartoonist Pran, the creator of Chacha Chaudhury, dies at 75 |publisher=India Today| url = http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/cartoonist-pran-pran-kumar-sharma-chacha-chaudhury-indian-comics-shrimatiji-pinki-billoo-raman-channie-chachi/1/375742.html |date=6 August 2014| access-date = 2014-08-06 }}</ref> Pran has also created other cartoon characters like ''[[Shrimatiji]]'', ''[[Pinki (comics)|Pinki]]'', ''[[Billoo]]'', ''Raman'', ''[[Channi Chachi]]'' and others, which are regularly published in Indian magazines. Pran reached lakhs of Kannadigas through his Putti, Raman that were published in Kannada daily Prajavani and Shrimathi which publishes in Kannada magazine Sudha. He was included in ''People of the Year 1995'' by [[Limca Book of Records]] for popularizing comics in India.<ref name="ins">{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130119033858/http://www.cartoonistsindia.com/htm/pr_pran.htm Pran profile]}} ''Indian Institute of Cartoonists''</ref>
In 1983, the then [[Prime Minister of India]], Mrs. [[Indira Gandhi]] released Pran's comics "''Raman – Ham Ek Hain''" which promoted national integration. Pran received a ''Lifetime Achievement Award'' 2001, from Indian Institute of Cartoonists.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2001/07/08/stories/14082181.htm
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030704140050/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/2001/07/08/stories/14082181.htm
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 4 July 2003
| title = Chacha Choudhary all set for the small screen
| newspaper = The Hindu
| date = 8 July 2001
| access-date = 2010-01-11
| location=Chennai, India
| first=Bindu
| last=Jacob
}}</ref> Pran has also given lessons in cartooning at the Pran's Media Institute, run by his son Nikhil.<ref name="archive.indianexpress.com"/><ref name="la">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/hthorizons/hthorizonssectionpage-greatcareers/Laughter-lines/SP-Article1-623812.aspx|title=Laughter lines|date=9 November 2010|work=Hindustan Times|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125174550/http://www.hindustantimes.com/hthorizons/HTHorizonsSectionPage-GreatCareers/Laughter-lines/SP-Article1-623812.aspx|archive-date=25 November 2010}}.</ref>

[[Maurice Horn]] notes that Pran has been given the title of "[[Walt Disney]] of India" in ''The World Encyclopedia of Comics''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Horn|first=Maurice|title=The World Encyclopedia of Comics|year=1999|publisher=Chelsea House |isbn=9780791048573|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ID49AQAAIAAJ&q=Pran}}</ref> The [[Chacha Chaudhary]] strips find permanent place in [[International Museum of Cartoon Art]], United States.

== Death ==
He had been suffering from [[colon cancer]] and subsequently was admitted to a hospital in Gurgaon, where he died on 5 August 2014 at approximately 9:30 pm local time.<ref>Kim Arrora (7 August) [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pran-creator-of-Chacha-Chaudhary-dies-at-75/articleshow/39784229.cms "Pran, creator of Chacha Chaudhary, dies at 75,"] ''[[The Times of India]]'' (Mumbai) captured at 4:49am 7 August.</ref> He was posthumously awarded the [[Padma Shri]], the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 2015.<ref name=pdma>{{cite web|title=Padma Awards 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128022143/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=114952|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=114952|publisher=Press Information Bureau|access-date=25 January 2015|archive-date=28 January 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.chachachaudharyindia.com/] Pran's Features LLP
* {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130119033858/http://www.cartoonistsindia.com/htm/pr_pran.htm Pran profile]}} at ''Indian Institute of Cartoonists''
* [https://www.thebetterindia.com/13139/pran-man-gave-life-cartoon-characters/ TBI Tribute: Pran – The Man Who Gave Life To India’s Favourite Cartoon Characters]

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharma, Pran Kumar}}
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian comic strip cartoonists]]
[[Category:Indian comics artists]]
[[Category:Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art alumni]]
[[Category:People from Kasur District]]
[[Category:Artists from Delhi]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in India]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts]]
[[Category:Diamond Comics]]

Pran Kumar Sharma - Revision history

imported>UzairQ25 at 07:48, 18 September 2025