by Reena I. Puri

How do you capture the essence of a man who was as boundless and infinite as his name – Anant? Charismatic, joyous, sparkling, deep as a bottomless gold mine, and soaring high with infectious energy. The 15 years that I spent as his Assistant Editor and then as his Associate Editor for Tinkle magazine were the most meaningful in all my working life.  

Uncle Pai was a colossus in thought. His mind was ever searching for more knowledge, more wisdom and more ways in which to communicate all that he learned to the generation he regarded as the foundation of the future – children. 

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For him, children were the most precious beings on earth. And on us, his team, he placed the responsibility of telling them stories which would help make them confident, happy, positive and self-assured individuals. He would often tell me that when he was a child, he had lacked self-confidence. Having lost his parents at the age of two, he had struggled during the initial years to stand up to challenges around him. Luckily for him, he had a very loving older sister who tried to take the place of a mother. And as he grew up and went to school and college in Mumbai, he had met some wonderful teachers who had instilled in his mind a belief in himself.  

He always wanted to do the same for children, especially Indian children. He saw them growing up heavily influenced by Western culture and Western thought, and wanted them to realise that they also had their own precious heritage, which was closer to them and one with them. They just had to understand it and get to know it, and the wisdom of the land they were born in would give them all the strength and confidence they needed in a fast-changing world.  

For this, he created Amar Chitra Katha and led it with an unshakable belief in its purpose. To his memory, we pledge to sustain his passion for Indian heritage, to continue his tireless search for an even better story than the last, and to honour his deep desire to create a world for children where they would feel safe, loved and full of hope. 

Discover Uncle Pai’s timeless stories of Indian History, Mythology and Culture at our very own ACK Comics App. 

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