A Dehra Dun youngster Deepak Ramola has just missed by a whisker winning the coveted first prize in the “Gender Equality” category in a Global Editorial Cartoon Contest. Ramola is currently a final year student in Mass Media Course at MMK College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai.
The contest, organized by the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), had attracted more than 1000 entries from 73 countries; it had three categories, (i) “Gender Equality”, (ii) “Democracy” and (iii) “Corruption”. Three winners were chosen in each of the category, and included entrants from Afghanistan, India, Columbia, Indonesia, Israel, Pakistan, Romania and Tajikistan. The first prize winner in the “Gender Equality” category was a young man Basir Ahmad Hamaid from Afghanistan. The first runner-up was Deepak Ramola of India, and Alberto Barreto from Colombia was the second runner-up.
GENDER EQUALITY | First Place Winner: Basir Ahmad Hamaid, Afghanistan
Hamaid is a finance/funding executive for the Mazar-e-Sharif office of a German voluntary organization. Hamaid was delighted at this honour and said, “Regardless of politics and any political group membership, I focused for my cartoon on the decade from 2001 to 2011, which started with new hopes, desires, and new aspects. But unfortunately we were witness to a day-to-
day increase in the already high rates of violence against women”. His prize winning cartoon shows “that while the decade started with new hopes for female rights [in Afghanistan], it was only a dream or a set of slogans”.
GENDER EQUALITY | Second Place Winner : Deepak Ramola, India
Deepak Ramola was equally overjoyed and said about his prize winning cartoon, “I wanted to highlight through this editorial cartoon that all the rights, laws and amendments for women are just a smokescreen, and in reality everyone knows the unspoken truth of gender inequality still prevailing. Women, despite all the laws, are still considered second class citizens within the confinement of the four walls of their homes. The cartoon emphasizes the sarcasm of the word “equality.” The picture depicts a typical “Balance” (“tarazu” in Hindi) used very commonly in India which symbolizes an honest measurement. The law books might have made the beam balance appear equal but the fact is that women are still not able to avail those rights and advantages.”
“These things have relevance to the situation in today’s world, especially in Indonesia”, said Taufan Hidayatullah, who drew the first place winning cartoon in the “Democracy” category.
Tom Gibson, chairman of the panel of judges said, “I was really pleased by the quality of draftsmanship, clever ideas, and most importantly, courage”. “The winner in the “Gender Equality” category, Hamaid, is in Afghanistan, where raising the issue of women’s rights is not without risk. Basir, and other cartoonists like him, are the tip of the spear in pushing out the boundaries of a free press in-country and encouraging others, globally, to do the same”, added Gibson. The winners will receive cash prizes.
Speaking to this correspondent, Ramola said that this honour in a Global Cartoon Contest had greatly enthused him; although he is studying for Mass Media and his syllabus included electronic and print media, he might even become a part time cartoonist. Ramola who studied at the Army School in Clement Town has already created a special niche for himself in Mumbai as a movie and small screen actor. Among his pictures are “Isi Life Mein” and “Bodyguard”.
Deepak’s sister, Deepika, who is studying to be a Company Secretary, was in seventh heaven on the success of his older brother. “It is wonderful news for me and my parents. We are all proud of this achievement of Deepak”.
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