Punjab: Student artist wins Youth Parliament Award for funny political sketches

Punjab: Aspiring doctor and a cartoonist too! Damaneet Kaur, a Class XII medical student at Nankana Sahib Public School, has this unique and uncanny combination. Cartooning is no small feat for her and whenever she gets time from her busy schedule, she loves to scribble and paint. Damaneet recently won the most innovative cartoon award in the Media Cartooning Competition organised by Ambit Youth Parliament 2025 under the aegis of Cosmic Club of Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College. She was given a cheque of Rs 5,100. 24 students from her school participated in the Ambit Youth Parliament. “The competition captured the essence of debates and discussions through creative sketches and caricatures. From funny political cartoons to artistic interpretations of important moments, it was all about adding a visual storytelling element to the subject and making the serious agenda more engaging and impactful,” Damaneet said while sharing her experience. The competition had four sub-categories. The two that appealed to Damneet the most were the view of parliament in an ancient or different era and AI replacing human politicians.

“The best humour can be found in politics. Some people understand it through words, while I understand it through my cartoons. Historical evidence suggests that political humour is endemic to the human experience and many believe that various political humourists or acts of political humour have been responsible for bringing about social or political change – and can influence how individuals understand the political world,” she says. Cartoons and caricatures are not the only things that attract Damneet. She is also fond of painting and loves working with acrylic colours. “I can never sit idle. If I am free, I write something or the other. My hands can never rest. My drawings are a mix of realism and cartooning,” she explains. Talking about her life goal, Damneet says she aspires to become a cardiologist, but art will always be an integral part of her journey. “Maybe I will bring out a book of my artwork or paint something fun for my workspace so that patients who visit me have a smile on their faces. Nothing is planned as of now, but my painting ability is very special to me and I plan to give it a place. Be it happiness or sadness, I just put it down on paper,” she says with a smile.