Mangesh Tendulkar

Tendulkar was born in Kolhapur. The family shifted to Pune in the early stage of his life and did his schooling from Bhave School in the city. After doing his BSc, he started working in the Controllerate of Quality Assurance (Ammunition) Khadki CQA(A), but his passion was cartoons and writing. He did not receive any formal training on cartooning.

Tendulkar was a caricaturist for the year 1954. He was instrumental in creating traffic awareness in Pune city and gave great support to Pune traffic police. As a social activist, he was associated with the traffic branch of the Pune Police. He created the awareness among people about obeying traffic rules. His several cartoons and caricatures based on the theme of traffic are displayed at various junctions and signals in the city. He used to personally stand on Karve road, Pune for creating awareness regarding the traffic for last 17 years of his life.[3]

Tendulkar often used to stand at traffic signals and distribute postcards with a message on following traffic rules, to commuters. The city-based Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) had used Mangesh’s talents to draw images in their drive to promote road safety. In a series of 100 cartoons, he set forth his concerns about the city and the preservation of Pune’s once-leafy environs with his trademark good-humoured, gentle skepticism. Besides his prolific cartoons, Tendulkar also authored collections of satirical sketches accompanied by his caricatures in works like Bhuichakra and Sunday Mood. He also documented Pune’s theatre scene in incisive articles and books.

He started sketching caricatures in his 70s and he was active till his death.[4]

Tendulkar’s book named Cartoons was published in 2001.

1. Cartoons
2. Bhuichakra भुईचक्र
3. Sunday Mood संडे मूड : (५३ लेख आणि जवळपास तेवढीच व्यंगचित्रे असलेले पुस्तक)
4. Atikraman अतिक्रमण
5. Kuni Pampato Ajun Kalokh कुणी पंपतो अजून काळोख
6. Bittesha Dakesha ’बित्तेशां?’ ‘दांकेशां!’

Apart from that, he had written in various magazines regarding cartoons:

In total, 89 exhibitions have seen Tendulkar's cartoons placed.[5]

• 1980 - President’s medal
• 1993 - Marathi Natya Parishad Award
• 2003 - Pulotsav award
• 1984 - Active theatre award
• Award from Kamayani Pune
• Award from Pune Police for cartoon on Traffic
• Award from Dnyaneshwar Vidhyapeeth
• Award from Samvad TV
• Award from Urja Kotwal Foods
• Award from Maayboli
• 2001 - Award in Kothrud Natya Sammelan
• 1994- Award from Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh
• 2003 – Award from Muktachand

He was the brother of acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Padma Bhushan Vijay Tendulkar. He was survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter.

Mangesh Tendulkar died on July 10, 2017 in Pune at 83 years of age. Tendulkar was suffering from bladder cancer for the last three years and was admitted to Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune after he complained of pain. He developed a pulmonary embolism and died at around 11 p.m. on Monday.[6][7]