Nią Thandapani is an established graphic designer and historian, she is specialised in works for book designs and children's book, with over seven years of experience working across publishing. Since graduating from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London, Nia has worked in, India, Sri Lanka and the UK on a range of projects, from the first full Tamil translation of Rumi poetry, to artists books and large scale installations. She currently co-runs Studio Carrom, with illustrator Priya Sundram and lives in Bangalore.

The Great Race
By Nathan Kumar Scott and illustrated by Jagdish Chitara

The following details and images are taken from Nia's talk on the joint Study Day between Illustration and Graphic Design, hosted on Friday, 29 October, 2021. Nia's based the talk on her research and dissertation on the design history approach to the Tamil children's book in the 20th century. During the meeting Nia looked at the representation in connect and disconnect to the deliberate experience of childhood, with further discussion on gender, class, and their intersection with the children's book.


Books exists in many forms, existing across homes, dominant space in social situation, in school-government debates, from business to publishers. Book was the tool for learning and the library was the bridge between the idealised book object and material reality of use. Nia was interested in how images could held potential powerful communication by using visual message.

There are debates about what women and girls should read, in terms of what content was appropriate as there are sayings of



At the time, there were no book format to accommodate young readers, most Tamil children's book were in black and white with re-typographic cover and produced out of cheap paper which are relatively thin, except the titles, which had more unique and playful designs. 

The books symbolising maternal figure, which were being passed on instead of being read, they served the function of providing knowledge for formal education, instead of leisure or entertainments.

Tamil Nadu Virtual library, India

The Tamil books covers does not have to relate to whats happening inside the book. Although supposed to promoted gender roles and in leisure and playing, as well as what childhood should look like, that is far from work.

It's common to include the motif of girls reading, in the book covers of many Tamil children's books through out the 20th century. Girls are often positioned as quiet and studious, where as boys are always active and participating in sports.

1956, TNSA

1980, author's own

1997, The children's Garden school Library, India

Kazhagam Almirah, India

Kazhagam Almirah, India

These illustrations shows the playful race, under supervised by woman. Although it’s active but still very gentle compared to the boys. 

1953, Kazhagam Almirah, India

1949, Kazhagam Almirah, India

These illustration shows country side scene of children in leisure and reading books, living in idyllic with no signs of labour and rural hardship,associated in rural India.

1961, Children's Garden school

This illustration shows the view from higher situation to the lower class, the books puts reader on the inside window of perspective, appeared in middle class literature. 

This illustration shows the domestic leisure by including domesticated animals in household, revealing the idealised life, in childhood. 

Nia states that books continues to remain globally, middle classed leisure object, that are not accessible for all children including the working and poor families. Contextualising the importance of reading and social values held by books.

'books can be dangerous corrupt for women and girls to read'