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{{More citations needed|date=April 2021}}{{short description|Indian Comic artist}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Anant Pai
| image = Uncle anant pai.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| caption =
| alt =
| othername = Uncle Pai<br/>Walt Disney of India<ref>{{cite web|author=PTI |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/article2923313.ece |title=Business Line : Features News : Amar Chitra Katha pays tribute to Uncle Pai with a comic title |publisher=Thehindubusinessline.com |date=26 February 2013 |accessdate=8 March 2013}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|9|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Karkala]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]] (Currently in Karkala, Karnataka)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2011|2|24|1929|9|17|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], Maharashtra, India
| nationality = Indian
| alma_mater = [[Institute of Chemical Technology]] (Formerly UDCT)
| spouse = Lalita Pai <small>(1961–2011)</small>
| notable works = [[Amar Chitra Katha]]
}}

'''Anant Pai''' (17 September 1929 – 24 February 2011), popularly known as '''Uncle Pai''', was an Indian educationalist and a pioneer in [[Indian comics]]. He is most famous as the creator of two comic book series viz. ''[[Amar Chitra Katha]]'', which retold traditional Indian folk tales, mythological stories, and biographies of historical characters; and ''[[Tinkle]]'', a children's anthology.

==Early life and education==
Pai was born in [[Karkala]], in what was the erstwhile [[Madras Presidency]] of [[British India]] on 17 September 1929 to a [[Konkani language|Konkani]]-speaking couple, Venkataraya and Susheela Pai.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|last2=|first2=|last3=|first3=|title=Remembering Uncle Pai, the creator of our favourite Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/anant-pai-310242-2016-02-24|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-29|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref> He lost both his parents at the age of two.<ref name=":0" /> He was then brought up by his maternal grandfather till his death in 1944 after which he moved to Bombay (now [[Mumbai]]), where he studied in Orient School, [[Mahim]]. He pursued his higher education in chemistry, physics and chemical engineering at the [[Institute of Chemical Technology]] (formerly UDCT) and was a dual degree holder from the [[University of Mumbai|University of Bombay]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-09-18|title=Remembering Anant Pai, The Master Storyteller Who Created Amar Chitra Katha|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/115673/remembering-anant-pai-the-storyteller-who-took-indias-epics-and-history-to-its-children/|access-date=2021-01-19|website=The Better India|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Professional career==
Endowed with a passion for publishing and comics, his failed attempt at creating a children's magazine (Manav, 1954) was followed by a career as a junior executive in ''[[The Times of India]]'' books division, putting him in the thick of affairs when ''[[Indrajal Comics]]'', which was famous for publishing comic book series like ''[[Mandrake the Magician|Mandrake]]'' and ''[[The Phantom]]'', was launched by the Times Group.

The idea behind starting a comicbook series devoted to Indian culture and history came to Pai from a quiz contest aired on ''[[Doordarshan]]'' in February 1967, in which participants could easily answer questions pertaining to [[Greek mythology]], but were unable to reply to the question "In the [[Ramayana]], who was Rama's mother?"<ref name=pa>[https://books.google.com/books?id=cgDHFFe7YM8C&pg=PA76&dq=Anant+Pai+-inauthor:%22Anant+Pai%22#v=onepage&q=Anant%20Pai%20-inauthor%3A%22Anant%20Pai%22&f=false The World of Amar Chitra Katha] ''Media and the Transformation of Religion in South Asia'', by Lawrence A Babb, Susan S. Wadley. [[Motilal Banarsidass]] Publ., 1998. {{ISBN|81-208-1453-3}}. ''Chapt. 4, p. 76-86''.</ref><ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Now-Amar-Chitra-Katha-gets-even-younger/articleshow/5129055.cms Now, Amar Chitra Katha gets even younger] Vijay Singh, TNN, [[The Times of India]], 16 October 2009.</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=David|first=Priti|date=2017-12-16|title=Anant Pai and the comic book|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/art/anant-pai-and-the-comic-book/article21697047.ece|access-date=2021-01-19|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

He left his job at ''The Times of India'' the very same year and started ''[[Amar Chitra Katha]]'', a comic-book series which retold traditional Indian folk tales, [[Hindu mythology]] and biographies of historical persons, with the help of late G. L. Mirchandani of ''India Book House'', when most other publishers from ''Allied Publishers'' to ''Jaico'' had rejected the concept. He took on the role of writer, editor and publisher. The series went on to become a publishing milestone for the Indian comic book scene, selling over 86 million copies of about 440 titles.

In 1969, Pai founded ''Rang Rekha Features'', India's first comic and cartoon syndicate. In November 1980, he started ''[[Tinkle]]'' under this syndicate. It is a children's anthology of short stories, jokes and educational articles in comic-book format. ''Tinkle'' too replicated the success of ''Amar Chitra Katha'', with the magazine currently in its 669th issue as in June 2017. Pai's involvement with the above, and the personal rapport he shared with his readers earned him the title "Uncle Pai". In 1989, again through this syndicate, Pai launched ''Chimpu Comics'', which included his own works like ''Ramu and Shamu'', ''Kapish'', ''Little Raji'' and ''Fact Fantasy''. This venture failed to repeat the success of ''Amar Chitra Katha'' and ''Tinkle'' and eventually its publication was stopped. Pai remained managing director of ''Rang Rekha Features'' till 2000, when he sold it to a [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]]-based animation studio named ''Color Chips''.<ref name=pa/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/businessline/catalyst/2000/12/08/stories/1908m05b.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218024728/http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/businessline/catalyst/2000/12/08/stories/1908m05b.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 February 2013 |title=Color Chips acquires Pai's treasure |publisher=Thehindubusinessline.in |date=8 December 2000 |accessdate=8 March 2013 }}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Sv7Uk0UcdM8C&pg=PA94&dq=%22Anant+Pai%22&lr=&as_brr=0#v=onepage&q=%22Anant%20Pai%22&f=false Amar Chitra Katha and the revolution in Indian Comic Book] ''Pop culture India!: media, arts, and lifestyle'', by Asha Kasbekar. Publisher: ABC-CLIO, 2006. {{ISBN|1-85109-636-1}}. ''p. 94-96''.</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=WDY7VJDL8t0C&pg=PA157&dq=%22Anant+Pai%22&lr=&as_brr=0#v=onepage&q=%22Anant%20Pai%22&f=false Introduction:Comic books in globalized India] ''Popular culture in a globalised India'', by K. Moti Gokulsing, Wimal Dissanayake. . Taylor & Francis, 2009. {{ISBN|0-203-88406-X}}. ''p. '' 157''.</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=au_Vk2VYyrkC&pg=PA117&dq=%22Anant+Pai%22&lr=&as_brr=0#v=onepage&q=%22Anant%20Pai%22&f=false Comic Books India] ''South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia'', by Peter J. Claus, Sarah Diamond, Margaret Ann Mills.. Taylor & Francis, 2003. {{ISBN|0-415-93919-4}}. ''p.117-118 ''.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20041013184938/http://www.hindu.com/yw/2004/10/09/stories/2004100900080400.htm Thanks, Uncle Pai] [[The Hindu]], 9 October 2004.</ref>

Besides comics, Pai was also a specialist in personality development. He founded the ''Partha Institute of Personality Development'' in August 1978, which conducted personality development classes through correspondence for children and teenagers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rbcsgroup.com/OT/OT-2005/December-2005/interview.htm |title=Interview with Satish Arora – Interview Director Food Production (Taj Sats) |publisher=Rbcsgroup.com |accessdate=8 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304043430/http://www.rbcsgroup.com/OT/OT-2005/December-2005/interview.htm |archivedate=4 March 2016}}</ref>

==Works==
===Comics===
Under ''Rang Rekha Features'', Pai created a large number of comic strips such as ''Ramu and Shamu'', ''Kapish'', ''Little Raji'' and ''Rekha'' along with one-off short stories in comic format. Most of these continue to appear in newspapers and magazines. He also created educational strips such as ''Fact Fantasy'', ''Funland'' and ''Funtime''.

===Video===
Pai has written and produced two video films, ''Ekam Sat'' (the Vedic Concept of God) and ''The Secret of Success'', in both English and [[Braj Bhasha|Hindi]].

===Miscellaneous===
Pai's other works include a number of books on personality development for children and teenagers such as ''How To Develop Self-confidence'' ''How to Achieve Success'', ''How To Develop A Super Memory'' and audio books like certain titles of ''Amar Chitra Katha'' in audio book format and ''Storytime with Uncle Pai'', where he plays the role of narrator-storyteller.

==Awards and recognitions==
*''Lifetime Achievement Award – at the First Indian Comic Convention, New Delhi on 19 Feb 2011 (six days before his death) was given by Pran, Creator of Chacha Chaudhury''<ref name="anant pai obit"/>
*''Karpoorchand Puraskar of Uttar Pradesh Bal Kalyan Sansthan (1994)''
*''Yudhvir Memorial Award in Hyderabad (1996)''
*''Maharashtra Rajya Hindi Sahitya Academy Award (1996)''
*''Dr. T. M. A. Pai Memorial Award in Manipal (1997)''
*''University of Bombay Department of Chemical Technology's Distinguished Alumnus Award (1999)''
*''Millennium Konkani Sammelan Award, Illinois, USA (2000)''
*''Raja Rammohan Roy Library Foundation's Award (2001)''
*''Priyadarshni Academy Award (2002)''
*''Vishwa Saraswat Sammaan (2003)''

===Google Doodle===
[[Google]]'s international and India search pages honoured Pai with a comic-style doodle of him on 17 September 2011, the 82nd birth anniversary of Pai. The doodle featured Pai sitting in his office, surrounded by shelves full of his own creations.<ref name="Anant Pai">{{cite news|title=Google doodles Amar Chitra Katha creator Anant Pai's 82nd birthday |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/google-doodles-amar-chitra-katha-creator-anant-pais-82nd-birthday/184856-11.html |accessdate=17 September 2011 |newspaper=[[CNN-IBN]] |date=17 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923144724/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/google-doodles-amar-chitra-katha-creator-anant-pais-82nd-birthday/184856-11.html |archivedate=23 September 2011}}</ref> Two such pictures, one in which Uncle Pai is sitting and the other in which he is standing, form the doodle, with the writing of ''Google'' connecting the two.<ref name="Anant Pai1">{{cite news|title=Google Honours 'Uncle' Anant Pai with a Doodle on His 82nd Birthday|url=http://techie-buzz.com/tech-news/uncle-pai-google-doodle.html|accessdate=17 September 2011|newspaper=Techie-buzz.com|date=17 September 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Anant Pai's 82nd Birthday|url=https://www.google.com/doodles/anant-pais-82nd-birthday|access-date=2021-02-14|website=www.google.com|language=en}}</ref>

===Amar Chitra Katha Biography===
On 18 February 2012, ''ACK Media'', a Mumbai-based edutainment company which had been managing ''Amar Chitra Katha'' and ''Tinkle'' since 2007,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/ack-media-acquires-amar-chitra-katha-tinkle/30360/on |title=ACK Media acquires Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle |work=Business Standard|date=21 November 2007 |accessdate=8 March 2013}}</ref> released an ''Amar Chitra Katha'' title on Anant Pai, which was scripted by Gayathri Chandrasekaran, assistant editor of ''Tinkle'', and illustrated by Dilip Kadam, who had illustrated many of ''Amar Chitra Katha's'' most famous titles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bestmediainfo.com/2012/02/amar-chitra-katha-title-launched-on-anant-pai-the-master-storyteller/ |title=Amar Chitra Katha title launched on Anant Pai – the master storyteller | Best Media Info, News and Analysis on Indian Advertising, Marketing and Media Industry |publisher=Bestmediainfo.com |accessdate=8 March 2013}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 1961, at the age of 31, Pai married Lalita, who was 20 at the time.<ref name="uncle pai personal life">{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/interview_tales-of-uncle-pai_1241094 |title=Tales of Uncle Pai – Mumbai – DNA |publisher=Dnaindia.com |date=21 March 2009 |accessdate=8 March 2013}}</ref> The couple was childless.<ref name="anant pai obit">{{cite news|author=Shahnaz Habib |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/07/anant-pai-obituary |title=Anant Pai obituary |work=The Guardian|date= 7 April 2011|accessdate=8 March 2013 |location=London}}</ref> He resided in an apartment in [[Prabhadevi]], Mumbai.<ref name="uncle pai personal life"/>

==Death==
Anant Pai died of a heart attack on the evening of 24 February 2011. He had been recovering from hip surgery which was necessitated following his falling down from the stairs a week prior to his death.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_amar-chitra-katha-creator-anant-pai-dies-of-heart-attack_1512415 |title=Amar Chitra Katha creator Anant Pai dies of heart attack – India – DNA |publisher=Dnaindia.com |date=24 February 2011 |accessdate=8 March 2013}}</ref> His last rites were performed later that night at the [[Shivaji Park]] crematorium, Mumbai.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/how-uncle-pai-started-amar-chitra-katha-87772 |title=How Uncle Pai started Amar Chitra Katha |publisher=NDTV.com |date=25 February 2011 |accessdate=8 March 2013}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==

*{{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20040925012316/http://unclepai.com:80/}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110721181042/http://www.readingrainbow.in/readingbuffet-author-anantpai.shtml Biography of Anant Pai by Atula Ahuja]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110721181046/http://www.readingrainbow.in/interview-pai.shtml Interview by Atula Ahuja]

{{Amar Chitra Katha}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pai, Anant}}
[[Category:20th-century Indian educational theorists]]
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:2011 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian graphic novelists]]
[[Category:Indian comics writers]]
[[Category:Konkani people]]
[[Category:University of Mumbai alumni]]
[[Category:Institute of Chemical Technology alumni]]
[[Category:People from Udupi district]]
[[Category:Novelists from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]

Anant Pai - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 12:58, 14 August 2023