The Art of Political Comics with Aakar Patel and Rachita Taneja

Join us for a thoughtful discussion with Aakar Patel, author of Discovery of New India, who will be in conversation with Rachita Taneja, author of Touching Grass, reflecting on politics, satire and art. The evening will be moderated by Vijetha Kumar, followed by an interactive Q&A with the audience.

Here are the details:

Date: 8th August 2026, Saturday

Time: 6:00 PM (seating begins at 5:45 PM)

Venue: Champaca Bookstore, Vasanth Nagar

RSVP here to register.

About the books: 

Discovery of New India examines the claims made about India and the reality behind them. Through conversations, history, and true stories, the book unpacks how government decisions shape how free, safe and prosperous Indians really are. It is a political primer written and drawn as a graphic novel.

Touching Grass is a collection of political comics and essays that offer an analysis of authoritarianism, the ways our democracy has been weakened and our political lives converted into fodder for social media consumption.

Meet the authors:

Aakar Patel is a columnist, journalist, author, and human rights advocate who served as executive director of Amnesty International India from 2015 to 2019. He currently chairs the organization's board in India. He is the author of Our Hindu Rashtra, and of Price of the Modi Years. He authored a translation of Saadat Hasan Manto’s Urdu non-fiction Why I Write. Patel co-authored a report on the 2002 Gujarat riots, titled Rights and Wrongs.

penpencildraw is a pseudonymous political cartoonist. Their work has been featured in Indian news media. They have worked on the books The Anarchist Cookbook and Discovery of New India with Aakar Patel.

Rachita Taneja is a political cartoonist and the creator of Sanitary Panels, a feminist webcomic that comments on society, culture and current affairs.

About the moderator:

Vijetha Kumar teaches Communicative English at the Department of English, St. Joseph's University, Bengaluru. She writes at rumlolarum.com and dreams about writing a book on funny women.

RSVP to reserve your spot.