Malik Sajad

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use British English|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Malik Sajad | image = | alt =  | caption = | birth_name =  | birth_place = Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India | death_date =  | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Graphic Novelist | years_active = | known_for = '' Munnu: A Boy From Kashmir. '' | notable_works = '' Short stories such as Identity Card, The Posterman, Endangered Species, Facebooked, Side Effects of Fairness Cream and, A Wedding Under Curfew. ''. | alma_mater = Goldsmiths University of London | website = http://www.maliksajad.com }}

'''Malik Sajad''' is a graphic novelist<ref>Gajarawala, Toran. [https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/kashmir-stories-munnu-malik-sajad-graphic-novel Kashmir Stories]. ''Dissent Magazine''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref><ref>[https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/kashmiri-cartoonist-malik-sajads-graphic-novel-munnu-unveils-life-in-the-valley/ Kashmiri cartoonist Malik Sajad's graphic novel, Munnu, unveils life in the valley]. ''Indian Express''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref><ref>Shah, Fahad. [https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/munnu-a-boy-from-kashmir-review-around-barbed-wires-many-lives/story-NaVeYlbtxhhWgWVgCfnvuI.html Munnu A Boy from Kashmir review: Around barbed wires, many lives]. ''Hindustan Times''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref> based in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.<ref>Recchia, Francesca. [http://www.warscapes.com/reviews/malik-sajads-munnu-graphic-novel-kashmir Malik Sajad's Munnu: a Graphic Novel From Kashmir]. ''The Warscapes''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref><ref>[https://images.dawn.com/news/1177572 Malik Sajad's debut graphic novel portrays what it's like growing up in Kashmir]. ''Dawn''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref>

His debut graphic novel, ''Munnu - A Boy from Kashmir''<ref>Bhanot, Kavita. [https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/munnu-a-boy-from-kashmir-by-malik-sajad-book-review-a-habitat-under-threat-10345016.html Munnu: A boy from Kashmir by Malik Sajad, book review: A habitat under threat]. ''The Independent''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref> was released with critical acclaim and won the ''Verve Story Teller of The Year'' award.<ref>Sahjwani, Natasha. [http://www.vervemagazine.in/arts-and-culture/verve-storyteller-of-the-year-winner-malik-sajad Meet Verve Story Teller of the year winner Malik Sajad]. ''Verve Magazine''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref> The debut novel was made a part of the permanent collection (Artists' Books) at the Brooklyn Museum in New York and his sketches have been compared to the work of Art Spiegelman such as ''Maus''<ref>Chakraborty, Rohit. [https://themillions.com/2017/02/hanguls-and-poachers-in-malik-sajads-munnu.html A Citizen of War: On Malik Sajad's 'Munnu: A Boy From Kashmir']. ''The Million''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref> and work of Marjane Satrapi such as ''Persepolis''.<ref>Tagat, Anurag. [https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/sketching-a-life-in-black-and-white/article7861451.ece Sketching a life in black and white]. ''The Hindu''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref>

Sajad's debut novel was released in 2015 in Britain.<ref>[https://www.firstpost.com/living/kashmiri-writer-malik-sajads-graphic-novel-munnu-retells-horrors-of-kashmir-insurgency-3432278.html Kashmiri writer Malik Sajad's graphic novel 'Munnu' retells horrors of Kashmir insurgency]. ''First Post''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref>

== Recognitions ==

Malik is an Inlaks Scholar (2011) and OMI Francis Greenburger (2013) fellow.<ref>Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art. THE AMOL VADEHRA ART GRANT 2017-18. [http://www.ficart.org/avag-2018-malik-sajad/ MALIK SAJAD]. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref><ref>[https://allevents.in/new%20delhi/presentation-by-malik-sajad/20003075438908 Presentation by Malik Sajad]. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref>

==As a cartoonist==

Sajad was 14 when he started working as a cartoonist, for a regional newspaper, Greater Kashmir. It was a lead story in 2005-06 by journalist, Arif Shafi Wani about endangered Kashmiri deer in Kashmiri forests, from where he drew inspiration, for his debut novel, by comparing Kashmiris with ''Hanguls'' as humanoids.<ref>Bhattacharya, Chandrima. [https://www.telegraphindia.com/7-days/artist-of-the-line-of-no-control/cid/1315313 Artist of the Line of no Control]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref><ref>Gulati, Sumegha. [https://www.thequint.com/lifestyle/why-munnu-is-the-most-haunting-book-on-kashmir-you-will-read Why 'Munnu' is the Most Haunting Comic on Kashmir You Will Read]. ''The Quint''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref>

==Influences==

Graphic novels such as ''Relatively Indolent But Relentless'' by Matt Freedman, ''Fun Home'' by Alison Bechdel. Among others, Sajad also likes works of Käthe Kollwitz, Lynd Ward, Keith Haring, and work of Betye Saar.<ref>Ranka, Ayush. [https://thewire.in/books/i-want-readers-to-share-the-experience-of-growing-up-in-kashmir "I Want Readers to Share the Experience of Growing up in Kashmir"]. ''The Wire''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref>

==Positions on Kashmir conflict==

Sajad believes that the conflict in Kashmir has 'shaken people like an earthquake'. He says, "everyone witnessed and felt the devastating tremor; some houses fell and the families were buried, some houses developed cracks and some stayed unharmed. This changed the face, structure and traditional landscape of Kashmir forever."<ref>Candice. [http://www.4thestate.co.uk/2015/06/munnu-life-is-precious-in-kashmir-just-like-it-is-everywhere-else/ MUNNU: 'Life is precious in Kashmir just like it is everywhere else']. ''Fourth Estate''. Retrieved 13 October 2018.</ref>

== References == {{reflist}} {{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sajad, Malik}} Category:Indian comic strip cartoonists Category:Indian comics artists Category:Kashmiri people Category:Living people Category:People from Srinagar Category:Indian graphic novelists Category:21st-century Indian artists Category:21st-century Indian novelists Category:Year of birth missing (living people)