Santosh Paliwal is one of India’s most widely published and internationally recognised cartoonists and satirical illustrators. Over two decades of prolific work, thousands of his political cartoons, illustrations, cover pages, and satirical poems have been published in leading newspapers and magazines across India. His work has been exhibited in more than 20 countries, and he has received recognition from some of the most prestigious cartooning institutions in the world.

Background

Santosh Paliwal was born on July 17, 1971, in a village in the Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. He graduated from Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, and completed a Diploma in Computer Management in Varanasi in 1995. He lived and worked for 21 years in the Lutyens’ Zone of New Delhi and is currently based in INA, New Delhi.

Landmark Recognition

In 2026, Paliwal made history by becoming the first Indian to be appointed as an International Jury Member for the 58th OSTEN World Gallery of Cartoons, Skopje. In the same year, he received the Extraordinary General Ambassador recognition from the World Caricature Institute, Poland. In 2025, he was honoured at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi, alongside the former Director General of Police of Gujarat.

International Presence

Paliwal’s work has been exhibited, published, and celebrated in more than 20 countries, including Poland, Croatia, Russia, Macedonia, Ukraine, USA, Brazil, Turkiye, Argentina, Italy, and Greece.

A defining moment in his career came in 2012, when his artwork was published alongside the work of Pablo Picasso in the catalogue of the globally renowned Osten World Gallery of Drawing, Macedonia. His cartoons have featured in the gallery’s catalogue across three different years.

In 2015, his work was exhibited in the Polish Parliament, and his biography and artwork were featured in Croatia’s Forum magazine. His biography and artwork also appeared on the back cover of the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi magazine in 2012.

Selected international participations include:

  • Exhibition at the 43rd and 44th Osten World Gallery of Cartoons, Skopje (2014)
  • Cartoons selected for the International Exhibition for Cheerful Skyscrapers, displayed at various locations in Poland (2014 to 2015)
  • International “8 March Women’s Rights Day” Cartoon Exhibition, Antalya, Turkiye (2013 and 2014)
  • Solo exhibition at AIFACS, New Delhi (2012)
  • Exhibition at the Osten World Gallery of Cartoons, Skopje (2011)
  • Oscarfest International Cartoon Exhibition, Osor, Croatia (2010 and 2011)
  • International Social Illustration Contest “Nuntius Imago”, Argentina (2011)
  • International Cartoon Exhibition on “Unemployment”, Hymettus, Greece (2011)
  • International Contest of Visual Art, “Fun in Vasylivka Style”, Ukraine (2011)
  • International Car Cartoon Contest, Zagreb, Croatia (2010)
  • International Competition on Drawing for Women, Jaka Bede, Poland (2010)
  • Caricature published in a book on Prof. Atila Ozer (2014)

Between 2013 and 2018, his photographs of famous Indian landmarks, featuring the Good Humor Party’s Happy Skyscraper motif, were exhibited in several countries and published in international newspapers and journals.

Good Humor Party (India Ambassador)

For over 13 years, Paliwal has served as the India head (Ambassador) of the Good Humor Party, a globally recognised satire organisation headquartered in Poland, with more than 5,000 members, primarily cartoonists and satirists, worldwide. The organisation’s head, Szczepan Sadurski, regularly references Paliwal’s contributions during his international lectures. In 2015, Paliwal was awarded the “Super Boss” certificate by the Good Humor Party. His cartoons for the organisation’s Happy Skyscraper project have been exhibited in more than 15 countries.

Career

From 2003 to 2005, Paliwal worked as a cartoonist and illustrator for a leading national Hindi newspaper, where his daily pocket cartoon was published across multiple states and cities in India. Since 2006, he has worked as a freelance artist and cartoonist.

He was invited to speak at IIT Roorkee (2017) and TEDx Bengaluru (2020). He has served as Art Advisor (Art Director) for a non-governmental organisation in Lucknow. In 2020, he created tactile art illustrations for a Delhi-based NGO’s calendar, designed to be experienced through touch. In 2026, this NGO showcased his work at the National Museum, New Delhi. He has also authored articles on prominent Indian personalities, including artist Jatin Das, classical dancer Shovana Narayan, sculptor Ram Sutar, and cartoonist Kaak, for an international website.

His biography and work are featured on Cartoonia.gallery (the Big Encyclopedia of Caricature), Toonsmag, and several national and international publications. Alumni from Harvard and Cambridge have written articles about him. He is a long-standing member of the Press Club of India, with over ten years of continuous membership.

Awards and Honours

  • Extraordinary General Ambassador, World Caricature Institute, Poland (2026)
  • First Indian appointed as International Jury Member, 58th OSTEN World Gallery of Cartoons, Skopje (2026)
  • Honoured at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi, alongside the former Director General of Police of Gujarat (2025)
  • “Super Boss” Certificate, Good Humor Party, Poland (2015)
  • Diploma, International Visual Art Contest, Vasylivka, Ukraine
  • Diploma, International Social Illustration Contest “Nuntius Imago”, Argentina
  • Certificate, Fenamizah magazine, Turkiye
  • Himalaya Aur Hindustan Award, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand (2006)
  • Letter of appreciation from renowned sculptor Ram Sutar (2012)
  • Letter of appreciation from former Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Jaiveer Singh (2005)

Note: Hard and soft copies of all mentioned works are available.

Blog Link: https://santoshpaliwal.blogspot.com/