Skip to main content

Sathyaraj Venkatesan

National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty Member

Followers

3,247

Following

84

Co-authors

20

Public Views

Professor of English
Address: Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
National Institute of Technology, Trichy
Tamilnadu, INDIA.

less

InterestsView All (32)

Uploads

Videos by Sathyaraj Venkatesan

An Introduction to Health Humanities

This lecture, organized by the School of English and Foreign Languages, The Gandhigram Rural Inst... more This lecture, organized by the School of English and Foreign Languages, The Gandhigram Rural Institute (Deemed to be University) Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, introduces the key concepts in Health Humanities including the difference between medical humanities and health humanities, narrative types, and landmark books on Health Humanities.

118 views

Papers by Sathyaraj Venkatesan

[Graphic Medicine] Book Review___Sleepless Planet

The Polypony, 2025

[Graphic Medicine] Graphic Medicine: History, Theory, and Practice

Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Health Humanities, 2024

[Graphic Medicine] Drawn into Presence: On Disability, Neurodivergence, and Graphic Storytelling in "unSEEN/unHEARD"

Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 2025

The politics of narrative visibility remain central to how disability and neurodivergence are rep... more The politics of narrative visibility remain central to how disability and neurodivergence are represented, mediated, and made legible across literary and graphic forms. unSEEN/unHEARD: Disability and Neurodivergence, a comics anthology (2025), engages these issues through a sustained commitment to collaborative storytelling, formal experimentation, and editorial reflexivity. This interview with the anthology's editors-Anas Abdulhak, Aubrey Lyn Jeppson, and C.K. Carpenter-reflects on the curatorial principles, narrative strategies, and publication conditions that structured the project. Part A, titled 'Perspective, Process, and Publishing', voiced primarily by Carpenter in a collective editorial register, outlines the alignment of disability and neurodivergence within a shared curatorial frame, the criteria guiding selection and genre, and the use of crowdfunding as both infrastructure and distribution. Part B, titled 'Affordances, Affect, and Audience', turns to individual practices; while Abdulhak discusses visual identity and poetic form, Jeppson reflects on lettering and visual rhythm, and Carpenter addresses the rendering of pain and sensory intensity, alongside strategies for public engagement. Across both sections, the interview considers how comics create narrative and formal space for embodied difference. Particularly, it contributes to scholarship on graphic narrative, disability, and neurodivergence by foregrounding editorial methods as a mode of narrative composition and collaborative representation.

[Graphic Medicine] Unmasking Cultural Taboos: Cancer, Graphic Medicine, and Neelam Kumar's To Cancer, with Love

by Sathyaraj Venkatesan and LABONI DAS

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 2025

In the 21st century, cancer remains shrouded in complex ways, imbued with sociocultural meanings ... more In the 21st century, cancer remains shrouded in complex ways, imbued with sociocultural meanings that extend far beyond its clinical and biological aspects. The fear and anxiety surrounding cancer often prompt family and friends to respond with either excessive protection or emotional detachment, leaving patients feeling isolated and unsupported. This article challenges entrenched stereotypes, particularly cultural tendencies in India to conceal cancer diagnoses, associate the disease with karmic retribution, and view it through fatalistic and death-centered perspectives. Drawing on theories of pathography and restitution narratives, it offers an alternative perspective to the bleak and fatalistic portrayals of cancer commonly found in Indian cinema and popular culture. The article primarily focuses on Neelam Kumar's graphic memoir, To Cancer, with Love: A Graphic Novel (2017), while also engaging with its prose counterpart, To Cancer, with Love: My Journey of Joy (2015). The article investigates Kumar's subversion of conventional narratives of illness and powerful counter-narrative to the dominant discourse on cancer in India. As one of the pioneering graphic pathographies from India, Kumar's memoir presents a transformative and empowering perspective on the experience of cancer, challenging the societal norms that often stigmatize the disease.

[Graphic Medicine] Weighed Expectations: Fragmented Identities in "My Body in Pieces"

Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 2025

The perception of fatness has evolved significantly throughout history, shifting from a symbol of... more The perception of fatness has evolved significantly throughout history, shifting from a symbol of luxury to a pervasive social stigma. This transformation extends beyond physical appearance, intersecting with issues of class, social status, sexism, and disability. Through an analysis of Marie-Noëlle Hébert’s graphic memoir My Body in Pieces, this article explores the multifaceted dynamics surrounding fatness and its implications for individuals and society. By examining the factors that contribute to the ostracisation of fat bodies in contemporary society, this article highlights the complex interplay of societal norms and cultural ideals that contribute to shaping personal identities. A close reading of the graphic memoirs’ formal features reveals the psychological and emotional consequences of fat-shaming at both individual and social levels. In doing so, this article aims to deepen our understanding of the lived experiences of individuals subjected to fat-shaming while critically interrogating the broader societal structures that perpetuate, reinforce, and sustain such discrimination. Furthermore, it offers insights into the complexities of body image, identity formation, and representation, advocating for greater empathy and inclusivity in contemporary discussions surrounding fatness.

“Does anyone know how people die in sewers?” : Comics, caste and manual scavenging in Samarth’s Suit

by Nandhitha M and Sathyaraj Venkatesan

Interdisciplinary Literary Studies , 2024

Manual scavenging is the practice of physically cleaning toilets, sewers, and public drains. Thou... more Manual scavenging is the practice of physically cleaning toilets, sewers, and public drains. Though illegal in India, hundreds of manual scavengers are still employed, most of whom belong to the Scheduled Castes. Comics, principally anti-caste alternative publications, invite conversations on the complex web of caste and manual scavenging. Historically, Indian graphic biographies have dominated the graphic discourse on caste in India, whereas Samarth shifts the focus of graphic narratives toward the plausible manifestations of caste soon through Suit. In particular, he imagines intergenerational negotiations with caste, the socio-political agendas vis-à-vis caste in the future, and the perpetual existence of caste-based discrimination in manual scavenging. Further, Suit’s realistic art style elicits critical and affective responses from its readers toward the pitiable conditions of manual scavengers. It provides both critical distance and an opportunity for “conscientisation” (Freire 1970) about manual scavenging to its readers. Put boldly, Suit poses a significant question through its visual expansion of caste-based discrimination: What is caste today and how will it be in the future for a technologically equipped suitwala? (“suitguy”)

The odi assan: Myth, liberation and caste in ‘If in the Shadows, a Leopard!’

by Nandhitha M and Sathyaraj Venkatesan

Studies in South Asian Film & Media, 2024

Casteism, an unjust social stratification system, remains pervasive in India. Among the oppressed... more Casteism, an unjust social stratification system, remains pervasive in India. Among the oppressed castes, the odiyans are unique for their shapeshifting, which allowed them to transcend their caste identities. Prakash Moorthy’s ‘If in the Shadows, a Leopard!’, a graphic narrative that is part of the anthology Longform (Volume 1, 2018), interweaves the nuances of odi and casteism. Moorthy revisits the odiyan myth through his protagonist, Kari, to examine casteism. Kari’s transformation through odi is a powerful portrayal of social mobility and liberation. Moorthy further observes the enduring presence of casteism and the significance of finding one’s voice within the narrative. Through his unique art style, which mimics the elusiveness of myths, the work invites readers to affectively empathize with Kari and sensitizes them to the realities of casteism. Collectively, ‘If in the Shadows, a Leopard!’, interwoven with themes of social justice, renders the text a compelling example of graphic justice.

[Graphic Medicine] 'To me, that expressed a fear of funder': affective economies, care and graphic medicine

by Livine Ancy A and Sathyaraj Venkatesan

Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 2025

Care practices are imbued with affect. Predominantly, affect is understood as something intrinsic... more Care practices are imbued with affect. Predominantly, affect is understood as something intrinsic-such as psychological dispositions, and subjective feelings, among others-that are personally experienced by the individuals involved in a caring circle. While this interpretation is true, affect also functions as an influential driving factor that shapes the social, political, and cultural realities of care experiences. The present article examines affective economies of fear, hate, and gendered care labour within the long-term care system. Using theoretical insights from Sara Ahmed, Amelia DeFalco, and Andrea Kantrowitz, among others, the article explains how these affective economies shape the experiential realities of the stakeholders. Through a close reading of Susan MacLeod's Dying for Attention, the article highlights systemic flaws that foster fear, societal disdain for ageing, and exploitative labour. It calls for a revaluation of existing long-term care practices by examining the gendered dimensions of caregiving and challenging the perception of care as women's moral duty. Further, the article also investigates how care is commodified within the institutional setting, thus underscoring the (neoliberal) complexities involved in the provision of care.

COVID 19 and Mythological Symbolism in Indian Folk Art

Mythlore, 2025

Through a comprehensive analysis of Durga Bai Vyam's "Samura Manthan" and Rupsona and Bahadur Chi... more Through a comprehensive analysis of Durga Bai Vyam's "Samura Manthan" and Rupsona and Bahadur Chitrakar's "Corona Rakshasa," this article aims to investigate how mythological stories and themes have been used in the Indian context in folk art during the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigation will offer insights into how artists have leveraged mythological symbolism to infuse their works with richer layers of meaning, thereby engaging readers in a deeper exploration of the pandemic's impact on society and the human psyche. By close-reading the aforementioned paintings, this study aims to illustrate the evolving visual representation of cultural narratives surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring the ways in which mythology interweaves with contemporary themes and its impact on shaping the artistic discourse in the aftermath of the pandemic.

[Graphic Medicine] 'To me, that expressed a fear of funder': Affective economies, Care and Graphic medicine

by Sathyaraj Venkatesan and Livine Ancy A

Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 2025

Care practices are imbued with affect. Predominantly, affect is understood as something intrinsic... more Care practices are imbued with affect. Predominantly, affect is understood as something intrinsic-such as psychological dispositions, and subjective feelings, among others-that are personally experienced by the individuals involved in a caring circle. While this interpretation is true, affect also functions as an influential driving factor that shapes the social, political, and cultural realities of care experiences. The present article examines affective economies of fear, hate, and gendered care labour within the long-term care system. Using theoretical insights from Sara Ahmed, Amelia DeFalco, and Andrea Kantrowitz, among others, the article explains how these affective economies shape the experiential realities of the stakeholders. Through a close reading of Susan MacLeod's Dying for Attention, the article highlights systemic flaws that foster fear, societal disdain for ageing, and exploitative labour. It calls for a revaluation of existing long-term care practices by examining the gendered dimensions of caregiving and challenging the perception of care as women's moral duty. Further, the article also investigates how care is commodified within the institutional setting, thus underscoring the (neoliberal) complexities involved in the provision of care.

[Graphic Medicine] Reproductive Autonomy, Graphic Reproduction, and The Elephant in the Womb

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 2025

Reproductive autonomy is an integral aspect of female reproduction, but this autonomy is endanger... more Reproductive autonomy is an integral aspect of female reproduction, but this autonomy is endangered by the control and surveillance of pregnant bodies by institutional structures, laws, and cultural norms. These restrictions deprive women of the freedom to make informed choices, ranging from decisions concerning prenatal care and reproductive procedures to abortion, violating fundamental human rights and bodily autonomy. This article examines how Kalki Koechlin’s graphic memoir The Elephant in the Womb (2021) advances and nuances the discourses surrounding reproductive autonomy and offers insights into how graphic reproduction narratives contribute to developing reproductive rights discourse.

[Graphic Medicine] The Time We See: ADHD, Neuroqueer Temporality and Graphic Medicine.

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 2025

This article examines the lived experiences of ADHDers with respect to time perception, through t... more This article examines the lived experiences of ADHDers with respect to time perception, through the lens of a neuroqueer temporality framework and its representation in graphic medicine. By close-reading autobiographical comics digitally posted by Pina Varnel (ADHD Alien), Dani Donovan, Heidi Burton, and Cecil, the article studies key elements of ADHD time perception, including time blindness, the now/not now dichotomy, the waiting mode, and the state of hyperfocus. ADHDers’ perception of time is nonlinear and present-oriented, diverging from neuronormative temporal expectations. In visualizing the nuanced differences in temporal perception and their impact on ADHD self, the article contributes to the discussion of diverse ways of perceiving and interacting with the world. By recognizing these differences, the article aligns with the neurodiversity paradigm and calls for understanding ADHD as a way of being, breaking the vicious cycle of moral judgments and assumptions of intentionality based on invisible but legitimate differences in temporal perception.

The Odi Assan: Myth, Liberation and Caste in ‘If in the Shadows, a Leopard!’

Studies in South Asian Film & Media, 2024

Casteism, an unjust social stratification system, remains pervasive in India. Among the oppressed... more Casteism, an unjust social stratification system, remains pervasive in India.
Among the oppressed castes, the odiyans are unique for their shapeshifting, which
allowed them to transcend their caste identities. Prakash Moorthy’s ‘If in the
Shadows, a Leopard!’, a graphic narrative that is part of the anthology Longform
(Volume 1, 2018), interweaves the nuances of odi and casteism. Moorthy revisits
the odiyan myth through his protagonist, Kari, to examine casteism. Kari’s transformation through odi is a powerful portrayal of social mobility and liberation.
Moorthy further observes the enduring presence of casteism and the significance
of finding one’s voice within the narrative. Through his unique art style, which
mimics the elusiveness of myths, the work invites readers to affectively empathize
with Kari and sensitizes them to the realities of casteism. Collectively, ‘If in the
Shadows, a Leopard!’, interwoven with themes of social justice, renders the text a
compelling example of graphic justice.

[Graphic Medicine] Gynometaphors, Graphic reproduction and Kalki Koechlin’s "The Elephant in the Womb"

Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics , 2025

Metaphors challenge the exclusive reliance on scientific objectivity by uniting reason with imagi... more Metaphors challenge the exclusive reliance on scientific objectivity by uniting reason with imagination. Graphic medicine, comprising of graphic illness narratives utilizes metaphors to convey the subjective experiences of pain and illness. Unlike biomedical discourses that focus on symptoms, graphic pathographies foreground the lived reality of patienthood and illness. Specifically, the deployment of visual metaphors convey the sensory, affective and psychological dimensions of illness, fostering empathy and care for patients. Graphic reproduction, a subset of graphic medicine, is centered on the quandaries of female reproduction including infertility, abortion, pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum depression. Drawing on metaphor theory, graphic medicine, and autobiography studies, this essay seeks to analyze, characterize, and evaluate the metaphors of illnesses and infirmities related to pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood through a close reading of Kalki Koechlin’s The Elephant in the Womb. In the process, the article introduces the concept of ‘gynometaphors’ to describe metaphors exclusive to gynaecological experiences.

[Graphic Medicine] ‘Finally making sense’: Graphic Medicine and ADHD Diagnosis in Adulthood

BMJ/Medical Humanities, 2024

This article aims to examine the lived experiences of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (A... more This article aims to examine the lived experiences of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis in adulthood, emphasising its revelatory nature and diverse emotional responses it provokes. The diagnosis serves as a pivotal moment of self-discovery, often evoking feelings of validation and identity affirmation. However, it also triggers a complex array of emotions, including grieving for the childhood self, frustration with society’s failure to recognise the legitimate challenges and evolving self-concept post diagnosis. Through a close reading of digitally published comics by Laura Balcerek, Amber Lewis and Juliette Yu-Ming Lizeray, this article studies how the graphic medium conveys these nuanced experiences. By dissecting narrative and visual elements inherent in the comics, the article studies the affordances of the comic medium to capture the lived experiences of ADHD diagnosis in adulthood. Ultimately, this article intends to deepen understanding of the diverse lived realities and underscores the expressive potential of graphic narratives of neurodivergence.

[Graphic Medicine] Queering Breast Cancer, Graphic Medicine, and Kimiko Does Cancer: A Graphic Memoir

The Routledge Handbook of Health Communication and Popular Culture, 2024

This chapter investigates the experiences of non-binary patients within clinical contexts, with a... more This chapter investigates the experiences of non-binary patients within clinical contexts, with a particular focus on Kimiko Does Cancer: A Memoir by Kimiko Tobimatsu. Published in 2020, the graphic memoir recounts Tobimatsu's journey as a young, queer, mixed-race woman confronting breast cancer and navigating medical encounters marked by queer exclusion. Specifically, the chapter examines how graphic medicine is utilized to address these concerns and emphasizes the critical role of representation. Simply put, graphic medicine is an evolving field that has gained recognition as a significant aspect of popular culture. It involves the use of comics, graphic novels, and visual storytelling to explore and communicate medical and healthcare-related themes, experiences, and narratives. Kimiko Does Cancer: A Graphic Memoir is a compelling exemplar within this genre as it serves as an alternative narrative in that it sheds light on the treatment of queer individuals in clinical settings and challenges the prevailing cancer culture characterized by commodification and fetishization of the disease. In this endeavor, Kimiko Tobimatsu unveils the deeply entrenched heteronormative underpinnings of medicine and healthcare, all the while illuminating the marginalized experiences endured by non-binary individuals grappling with breast cancer. As a health communication, Kimiko Does Cancer: A Graphic Memoir, in its essence, advocates for the integration of diverse voices and narratives in medical practice to promote inclusivity and empathy within the healthcare environment.

[Graphic Medicine] Concealed and compromised: Masking, Autism and Graphic medicine

Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 2024

While the phenomenon of autistic masking, in which individuals on the autism spectrum conceal the... more While the phenomenon of autistic masking, in which individuals on the autism spectrum conceal their true selves to conform to neurotypical norms, is increasingly examined in psychological contexts, it is comparatively understudied in literary representations. The present article, centred on the 2022 anthology, Sensory: Life on the Spectrum, An Autistic Comics Anthology, curated by Bex Ollerton, close-reads selected autobiographical comics to demonstrate how autistics leverage the graphic medium to depict the lived experiences of masking. The article analyses the compromise of selfhood inherent in this phenomenon, and it investigates the intricacies of identity, neuronormative expectations and the toll of performing neurotypicality. The medium of comics becomes a potent medium to present the impact of masking on neurodivergent individual’s sense of self and belonging. Furthermore, the article underscores the potential of graphic medicine in exposing neuroableism, amplifying neurodivergent voices and advancing discourse on neurodiversity within literary and cultural contexts

[Graphic Medicine] Beyond wrinkles: Ageing, Graphic medicine, and Zidrou and Aimée de Jongh’s "Blossoms in Autumn"

by Sathyaraj Venkatesan and Livine Ancy A

Medical Humanities, 2024

Ageing, an inevitable biological process, is often oversimplified, subjecting elderly individuals... more Ageing, an inevitable biological process, is often oversimplified, subjecting elderly individuals to both positive and negative sociocultural stereotypes. Elderly individuals are stigmatised as passive, suffering and asexual, while simultaneously being expected to embody an active, successful and productive approach towards ageing. Departing from these narrow perceptions, this article draws examples from Zidrou and Aimée de Jongh’s graphic narrative Blossoms in Autumn to provide a nuanced perspective on the ageing process. Using the affordances of comics, this essay examines how Blossoms in Autumn addresses unarticulated aspects of ageing, including changing bodily features, sexuality and intimacy, among others. In so doing, this essay challenges the unilateral perceptions of ageing.

[Graphic Medicine] Medical neoliberalism, Afloat and Graphic medicine

Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 2024

Medical neoliberalism has precipitated a significant shift away from the patient-centric approach... more Medical neoliberalism has precipitated a significant shift away from the patient-centric approach to a profit-driven paradigm that prioritises the interests of corporations and shareholders over the well-being of patients. Consequently, there is a shortage of funding for adult social care resulting in compromised service quality. Taking these cues, the article close-reads some sections of Nigel Baines’s Afloat: A Memoir about Mum, Dementia, and Trying Not to Drown (2019) in order to demonstrate how graphic medicine offers multifaceted critique of the NHS and social care arrangements in the UK through nuanced visualisations. Baines deploys a series of visual metaphors to concretise his challenges in quest of an appropriate care arrangement for his dementia-afflicted mother. In particular, Baines deploys thought-provoking board game metaphors (such as the snake and ladder board) and the Yeatsian symbol of gyre to introspect the fine-grained workings of medical neoliberalism and its impact on social care. The article concludes by discussing how Afloat operates as a critical lens exposing the intricacies emblematic of healthcare environments and the deeply rooted vulnerabilities enmeshed within the system.

[Graphic Medicine] Regulated Pandemic Spaces: Spatial Crises in COVID Comics

Journal of Medical Humanities , 2024

Close-reading sequential comics and cartoons such as He Zhu's "Lockdown," Rivi Handler-Spitz's "M... more Close-reading sequential comics and cartoons such as He Zhu's "Lockdown," Rivi Handler-Spitz's "Morning Commute," Yang Ji's "Quarantine," and Thi Bui, Will Evans, Sarah Mirk, Amanda Pike, and Esther Kaplan's "In/Vulnerable," this article investigates the networked spatial crises that have emerged during COVID-19. As the global pandemic reshaped social, economic, and cultural landscapes, it is crucial to understand the spatial implications of these transformations. By analyzing graphic medical texts, which serve as visual narratives that capture the lived experiences and perceptions of individuals within these crises, the present essay offers a nuanced exploration of the intricate relationships between space, society, and the effects of the pandemic. The article identifies and examines the various spatial crises that have emerged in the COVID era, such as disrupted urban environments, altered social dynamics, spaces of contamination, contraction of space, and the reconfiguration of workspaces. Drawing on theorists like Michael Foucault and Henri Lefebvre, this essay illustrates how these crisis-induced spatial transformations are represented, experienced, and contested. Ultimately, the article not only contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between the pandemic and space but also addresses the challenges of our evolving world.