With the objective of promoting inquiry-based learning and developing 21st-century skills among students of classes VI–XII, an interactive session on “Understanding History through Cartooning” was organized on 19 August 2025. The session was conducted by Mr. Suraj Sriram, a noted editorial cartoonist who has worked with publications such as Indian Express, Blitz, and Banker & Tradesman, and is currently working on the establishment of the Museum of Cartoon Art, along with Dr. Priya Gohad, the Museum’s Curator at Savitribai Phule Pune University.

The session began with a discussion on the importance of cartoons as a powerful medium of communication capable of evoking humour, anger, discomfort, or inspiration. It was emphasized that history is not limited to dates and facts but also includes emotions, opinions, and lived experiences which can be effectively understood through cartoons. The speakers explained how cartoons function as time capsules, simplifying complex geopolitical events like the 1857 Rebellion or the Bengal Partition into striking visuals. The historical evolution of political cartoons was traced to reveal their role in colonial India—as tools of social and political commentary that mocked British policies, reflected public sentiment, and supported the nationalist movement.