A 2-Kilometer-Long Comic Strip Created from 4,500 Illustrations

Pune: Dr. D.Y. Patil School of Design, Tathawade, hosted the ‘Longest Comic Strip’ initiative, creating a record-breaking comic strip using 4,500 illustrations. Alongside the ‘Sketchverse’ event, a 24-hour non-stop sketching marathon was also conducted. Additionally, Dr. D. Y. Patil Center for Skill Development, in collaboration with Goodspeed Games and Visual Birds Studio, has introduced two new skill-based and employment-driven diploma programs, as announced by Dr. Smita Jadhav, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pimpri, Pune.

Under the leadership of Hon’ble Chancellor Dr. P. D. Patil, Pro-Chancellor Dr. Bhagyashree Patil, and Vice-Chancellor Dr. N. J. Pawar, Pro Vice Chancellor Dr. Smita Jadhav, both initiatives would not have been possible. The event witnessed the presence of Preeti Vyas (CEO, Amar Chitra Katha), Ajitesh Sharma (President, Indian Comic Publishers Association), Dr. Sanjay Bharti, Dr. Girish Charwad, Sandeep Bhamkar, Amit Shirole, Amit Dhane, Sharad Garole, along with key officials from the School of Design, including Associate Dean, Vinayak Kulkarni, Director Swapnali Jadhav, Vice-Principal Deepali Joshi, Head of Department Dr. Siddhant V. Wadmare, and Dr. Somesh Gurav.

‘Sketchverse – A 24-Hour Sketching Initiative’ at Dr. D. Y. Patil School of Design

This world record attempt, set to be recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records, visually depicts the evolution of humankind from ancient times to artificial intelligence. A team of 90 students and 10 faculty members contributed, producing 4,500 illustrations over 21 hours, with an average of 7 hours per day. The comic strip spans an impressive 2 kilometers, surpassing the previous record of 1.6 kilometers set in Japan. “Dr. D. Y. Patil School of Design aims to break this record,” stated Dr. Siddhant Waghmare.

As part of the Visual Communication Department’s Sketchverse, an event where artists drew continuously for 24 hours, participants from across India, ranging from ages 10 to 65, enthusiastically took part. More than 80 artists, students, and faculty showcased live, outdoor, still-life, memory sketching, and gaming illustrations, blending artistic diversity with storytelling, classical, and Bollywood music. The event also included expert-led discussions that inspired students. Cash prizes were awarded to the winners. Notably, all stage designs, backdrop frames, and other event materials were created from recycled waste by the students.

Launch of Skill-Based, Employment-Oriented Courses in ‘Game Design’ and ‘VFX’; Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr. Smita Jadhav Shares Details

Dr. Smita Jadhav further announced that from the upcoming academic year, Dr. D.Y. Patil Center for Skill Development will launch two industry-oriented diploma programs in collaboration with Goodspeed Games and Visual Birds Studio. These courses—Game design and quality assurance and visual effects (VFX)—will ensure immediate job placements for students. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has already been signed for the same. Industry experts, including Ranbeer Hora and Dhruhin from Goodspeed Games, along with Amit Malviya and Nidhi Rai from Visual Birds, will mentor and guide students through these programs. For more details you can visit on https://schoolofdesign.dpu.edu.in/.