Date of Birth: 
About P. K. Manthri
- P.
- K.
- Manthri (real name P.
- K.
- Manthri Kumaran) (21 May 1933 – 6 December 1984) was an Indian cartoonist. Manthri was born to Poomangalathu Kesavan and Kochikka, at Pandalam in Kerala, India.
- His father was a school manager and headmaster.
- Manthri studied painting from the Ravi Varma School of Arts, Mavelikkara.
- He drew cartoons mainly for Thaniniram daily, although he started drawing cartoons for Sarasan in 1950s.
- He also published cartoons in Asadhu, and Narmada.
- Later, his works appeared in Mathrubhumi, Janayugam, Malayala Nadu, Malayala Rajyam, and Manorajyam.
- Pachu, Kovalan, Mr.
- Kunju etc.
- are popular cartoon characters created by Manthri.
- Manthri himself appeared in many of his own cartoons.
- The beauty of his cartoon character Pachu's wife earned a lot of praise from readers, and was mentioned by Professor M.
- Krishnan Nair in his weekly article Sahitya Varabhalam in Kalakaumudi weekly. Manthri was a drawing teacher by profession but he left this in 1954.
- For some time, he worked for Calicut papers Desabhimani and Mathrubhumi.
- Then he joined the government education department, while continuing to work as a cartoonist.
- His rash criticism through cartoons - in particular, a cartoon Kudanannakkan Aalilla which targeted the irregular appointment of Arabic teachers in schools from a particular community - irritated the then education minister C.
- H.
- Muhammed Koya.
- As a result, Manthri was suspended from government service for two and a half years from 1969.
- While he was under suspension, he still drew cartoons using the pseudonym 'Thanthri'.
- He also published a cartoon book named Chithrahasyam during this period.
- Over 20,000 copies of the book were circulated.
- He was allowed back into government service in 1973, as per the report of the then government secretary Malayattoor Ramakrishnan, who was also a cartoonist and novelist. Malayatoor mentioned this incident in his service story. Manthri was responsible for making the first animated film title in Malayalam cinema.
- This was the movie Poocha Sanyasi, directed by Hariharan.
- Cartoonist and publisher Cartoonist Shankar had invited Manthri to Delhi several times to become part of the Shankar's Weekly.
- But Manthri was not willing to relocate to Delhi.
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