Manjula Tara

Born in 1953, Manjula Padmanabhan is an Indian writer, journalist, and artist whose diverse career spans plays, children's books, and comic strips. Her upbringing in various countries, including Sweden, Pakistan, and Thailand, provided a global perspective that informs her writing. Upon returning to India at sixteen, she encountered a more traditional society, which, coupled with not knowing local languages, presented initial challenges.

Padmanabhan's professional life began in journalism and book reviewing, evolving into illustration and the creation of her notable comic strip, 'Doubletalk,' featuring the character Suki. This strip gained significant traction and was published for many years. Her play 'Harvest' received critical acclaim, earning the Onassis Award and inspiring an award-winning film. She has continued to publish short stories and create new comic strips, demonstrating a sustained engagement with her creative pursuits.

Manjula Padmanabhan entered the world in Delhi in 1953. Her father's career as an Indian diplomat led to her formative years being spent in diverse international settings such as Sweden, Pakistan, and Thailand. These early experiences likely fostered a broad worldview. She was an enthusiastic reader of comics and cartoons from a young age, often channeling this interest into her own drawings and writings. The family's return to India when she was sixteen marked a significant shift, as she found the societal norms more traditional and faced the hurdle of not being fluent in Hindi or Marathi.

Padmanabhan cultivated her writing skills through journalism and book reviews well into her twenties and thirties. Her artistic career officially began in 1979 as an illustrator for 'Indrani and the Enchanted Jungle.' A significant development in her career was the creation of the comic strip 'Doubletalk' in 1982. This strip, which introduced the character Suki, was serialized for many years in prominent publications like The Sunday Observer and later The Pioneer. The strip concluded when its publisher changed and The Pioneer ceased its comic features. Padmanabhan later revived Suki in a new strip, 'Suki Yaki,' for The Hindu's Business Line.

As a playwright, Padmanabhan achieved significant recognition with her play 'Harvest,' which earned the prestigious Onassis Award. This success led to the creation of an award-winning film adaptation titled 'Deham' by Govind Nihalani. Her other dramatic works include 'The Artist's Model,' 'Sextet,' and 'Lights Out.' Beyond her plays, she has authored numerous children's books and collections of short stories, often exploring themes relevant to technology, gender, and international disparities. Some of her works, like 'Island of Lost Girls' and 'Three Virgins and Other Stories,' have been published by major houses.