Renowned cartoonist Bali no more

Medisetti Sankara Rao, known to the Telugus as artist Bali was often regarded as the next generation great artists after the every popular Bapu.

By VJM Divakar

Hyderabad: Popular cartoonist Bali, who is known for his cartoons in Telugu press, passed away in Visakhapatnam due to illness on Monday night.

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Medisetti Sankara Rao, known to the Telugus as artist Bali, was a well-known artist, cartoonist, illustrator and writer. Born in Anakapalle on Sept 29, 1941, Bali by his sheer hard work created a niche in the world of Telugu Art. Bali could establish his own style of illustration, cartooning and emerge as a front line cartoonist and illustrator amidst the still competition from giants like Bapu. He is often regarded as the next generation great artists after the every popular Bapu.

Bali himself stated that his interest in art especially drawing grew when he watched his sister putting Muggu (Rangoli) in front of their house. Bali had special liking for the drawing classes in his school, which made him try his hands at it. He was self-taught. In the 1970s when Andhra Patrika conducted a competition for the upcoming artists, Bali won the prize three successive times.

Bali worked for a brief period as Clerk in the Public Works department, but quit the job to pursue his passion. He joined as cartoonist in Eenadu newspaper and later joined as the Staff Artist in Andhra Jyothi. It was in his stint at Andhra Jyothi weekly, the then editor Puranam Subramanya Sarma asked him to change his name to Bali. Bali wrote a short novel for Children, Amme Kavali and it was serialised in Andhra Jyothi Weekly. It became an instant hit with the readers. Pranam Subramanya Sarma encouraged him a lot to establish as writer, illustrator and cartoonist. Amme Kavali he did the illustration too.