My Big Book of Kindness

Geeta Dharmarajan loves writing for children. She received the Padma Shri in 2012 for her work in literature and education. She was also the joint winner of the Business Standard Award for Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018.

Haku Shah is a famous Indian painter. He is also an author of international repute on folk and tribal art.

Jivya Soma Mashe (1934–2018) was a renowned Warli painter from Maharashtra, who transformed the art form from a ritual practice into a widely recognized contemporary medium. He passed away in 2018.

John Gould (1804–1881) was a key figure in nineteenth-century natural history, known as the “father of Australian ornithology.” A self-taught ornithologist, he excelled in identifying new species and publishing them in multi-volume folios. Though a competent artist, his main contribution was as the director of a lithographic studio, where he provided sketches and scientific descriptions that his wife, Elizabeth Gould, and other artists transformed into beautiful, hand-coloured plates. Gould’s major work, The Birds of Australia, consists of seven volumes and is considered one of the most significant taxonomic works, showcasing Australia’s rich avian diversity, including the lyrebird and the budgerigar.

M.F. Husain (1915–2011) was the most renowned Indian artist of the twentieth century, often referred to as the “Picasso of India”. As a founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Group in Bombay, he played a crucial role in moving away from traditional nationalist styles to adopt a bold, modern Indian aesthetic. His early experiences painting large cinema hoardings for Bollywood films significantly influenced his artistic style, characterized by vibrant colours, strong calligraphic lines, and a grand sense of scale. Hussain’s work masterfully combined high modernism with the dynamic vitality of Indian folk art and classical mythology.

Mother Teresa, born as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, was a Catholic nun and missionary. She founded of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata to serve the poor and destitute. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her efforts.

Pallavi Dutta is a graphic designer from Bengaluru, India.

Samruddhi Porey is an artist and filmmaker. She is also a practising lawyer in the Bombay High Court.

Suddhasattwa Basu is a renowned illustrator, painter and animation filmmaker. He studied fine arts at the Government College of Art and Crafts in Kolkata and then started his career as an artist and designer for the children's magazine, Target. The Song of a Scarecrow, his first book for children as a writer, won the Chitra Katha Award in 2002 and received an honourable mention at the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava, 2003.