Cartoonist Yesudasan no more

KOCHI: Popular cartoonist Chackalethu John Yesudass popularly known as Yesudasan died here Wednesday. He was 83. He died while undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at a private hospital in Kochi. He died this morning at 3.30 am. Yesudasan is a genius who popularized cartoons in Malayalam.

He was the author of the first pocket cartoon in Kerala. He has been active in the media field for more than half a century. He was the former president of the Kerala Lalithakala Academy and the founder president of the Kerala Cartoon Academy.

He was born on June 12 in 1938 at Bharanikkavu near Mavelikkara. He became active in cartooning after his graduation. He was a staff cartoonist for 23 years at Malayala Manorama. He had also worked in Shankar's Weekly, Janayugam, Cut-Cut, Asadha, Metro Vartha and Deshabhimani. He wrote dialogues for the Malayalam film Panchavadi Palam.

He leaves behind his wife Mercy and three sons.