Mario Miranda

Mario Miranda was an Indian cartoonist and painter from Loutolim, Goa. Miranda was a regular cartoonist with The Times of India, the Economic Times and other newspapers in Mumbai. But he got his popularity with his works published in The Illustrated Weekly of India. Mario was born in Daman to catholic parents on 02-05-1926. He studied at St. Joseph’s Boy’s High School, Bangalore and completed B.A. in History from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.

Career
Mario started to draw at very early age. His early cartoons presented vignettes of Goan village life. He started to maintain his diaries from the age of 10, sketching the life around him. Mario got his first break as a cartoonist with the Illustrated Weekly of India which published a few of his works. His drawings and cartoons also brought him an offer to work at the Current magazine. The Times of India also offered him a slot. Thereafter, his creations such as Miss Nimbupani and Miss Fonseca appeared on a regular basis in Femina, Economic Times and The Illustrated Weekly of India. Mario won a grant and lived in Portugal for a year. Then he moved to London, working for different newspapers and even working in television animation. During his 5 years in London his caricatures were published in magazines like Mad, Lilliput and Punch. He then travelled to many countries either working or conducting exhibitions. He held solo exhibitions in over 22 countries. He has published several books including Laugh it Off, Goa with Love and Germany in Wintertime. He has illustrated many books including children’s.

Honour
Mario Miranda was honoured with Padma Shri (1988), Padma Bhushan (2002) and Padma Vibhushan (2012) by Government of India. All India Cartoonist’s Association, Bangalore, honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The King of Spain, conferred the highest civilian honour of “Cross of the Order of Isabel the Catholic” (2009). In 2009, Portugal under the President of the Republic made him “commander of the Order of Prince Henry”, a Portugal national order of kinghood. In 2013, a road junction in Mumbai was named after Miranda.