Atanu Roy studied science with mathematics in school. As a Sports Captain and a champion athlete, he represented Delhi in the National Games in 1968. He has a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts and was awarded the National Scholarship for Advanced Studies in Children’s Book Illustration. He worked as a designer / illustrator, Art Director, and a Political Cartoonist with India Today. He has owned a design studio called ‘ArtGym’ since 1986. He has been the Founder Director of Riyaaz Academy for Illustrators since June 2013. He has published more than 150 children’s books, games and educational aids illustrated and designed for National Book Trust, Frank Educational Aids, Limca Book of Records, Ratnasagar, Harper Collins, Time-life Books, Living Media, Katha, Yugbodh Prakashan, Penguin / Puffin India, Scholatic India, India Ink / Roli Books, Orient Blackswan and Eklavya.
Other publishing clients include – Living Media, Times of India, Indian Express, National Centre for Children’s Literature, Chalk Talk, Art Times Welcomgroup, Namaste, Rajpal & Sons, and Indian International Center. Atanu has also worked extensively with Development and Education Sector and NGOs like – Katha, WHO, UNICEF, VHAI, Save the Children UK, Eklavya, Thompson Social, and DPEP in the states of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in Assam, Malayalam Mission, NCERT, Room to Read, Azim Premji Foundation, Takshila Foundation and Katha Lab School. He has been recognized with many distinguished awards for his illustrations – Yomiuri Shimbun International Cartoon Contest in 1983, 84 and 86, Children’s Choice Award for Book Illustration in 1989, BD’87 International Cartoon Festival, Switzerland in 1987, Sir Bob Geldofs’ Cartoonaid, Book of Cartoons in 1988, International Cartoon Festival, Semarang, Indonesia in 1988, Limca Book of Records in 1996, IBBY Certificate of Honour for Illustrations in 2006, The One Show, New York Merit in 2008 and The Tata Trust Big Little Book Award in 2016. He has also been the Press Lions Finalist in the Cannes Lions 2008 – 55th International Advertising Festival.
Delegate | 2018