Tarun Tejpal

Indian cartoonist Kanika Mishra next to her cartoon creation, Karnika Kahen.

India’s first cartoon everywoman is the product of a female cartoonist who stood up to her own critics

Global Politics

Kanika Mishra had had it with the folksy ‘common man’ character so prevalent in Indian cartoons. She decided to create a ‘common woman’ and named her character Karnika Kahen which literally means ‘Karnika speaks.’ And speak she does, taking stands against sexual abuse and rape in India, and getting a lot of flak in the process.

In India, sexual assault charges touch a magazine known for championing women’s rights

Development & Education