Meet Devika Joglekar | Author, illustrator and animator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Devika Joglekar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Devika, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started Miheika Publications in 2015 solely out of my passion for children’s books. I have always aspired to create children’s book content and animation that is fun to read/watch, and also inspires young minds to explore new things.

After moving to the US, I could sense a void of Indian stories in the children’s book space. There were a handful of books telling stories of Indian kids and culture but they were mostly written and illustrated by non-Indian authors and illustrators.
I have been working as a children’s book illustrator and animator for over a decade now and over the years, I’ve become familiar with the publishing process. Along the way, I gained confidence to start writing for kids.

Indian culture is vibrant, multi-faceted and diverse. Through books by Miheika Publications, I would love kids all over the world to know more about our food, clothing, art, literature, yoga, Ayurveda, as well as our rich heritage.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I usually work in the digital medium. If I have to describe my drawing style, I would say it’s a clear line style. I also like working with watercolors. I love to draw people the most. Every face tells a story.

I also like to animate human figures.

As a self taught artist, I have tried and practiced various styles. As an artist, it’s important to develop your own style but I feel I should explore and experiment with different drawing mediums, styles and shouldn’t restrict myself to one particular style.

I recently worked on an award-winning animation series called ‘Koga and Friends.’ I did the character design, storyboarding and animation. I am also excited about the two new upcoming children’s books in our Lilu book series.

I am also working on a graphic novel manuscript.

I am an Engineering graduate. My college days, however, proved to be a turning point in my life. I started drawing, doodling while I was studying engineering. Although I liked studying technology and the sciences, I soon realized that it’s not the career path I wanted to pursue. I took that risk or perhaps a leap of faith at the very beginning of my career, and I would say that was the best decision of my life. I am a self taught artist. I had no clue about the animation industry. I took the risk of leaving my lucrative job in Tech but that pushed me to learn new skills and achieve things I thought I could never do.

In life, you have to take risks and follow your instincts, at least once. The thing is once you have done it one time, you never hesitate to do it again.

It wasn’t an easy journey. Art industry was foreign territory for me when I decided to make a living here. I had no connections or a clear picture of where to start.

I started with a small weekly comic script in a regional newspaper, back in India. It provided me exposure and footing in the art space. I had settled well as an illustrator and animator in India but then I got married and I moved to the USA. Once here, I had to start from scratch all over again. But like I said, if you have taken a risk once, you know how to do it again. Second time around its less scary.

I think when you decide not to give up and keep trying, sooner or later, opportunities do knock at your door. My journey has taught me how important it is to be patient and persistent.

I really believe in the power of storytelling. Through Miheika Publications, I want to tell stories for kids which are not only fun to read but also inspire young readers to learn and discover.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in the SF Bay Area.

Day 1: Tour de San Francisco 🙂
-First I will take them to Crissy Field. I honestly think Golden Gate Bridge looks the best when viewed from Crissy Field or the Fort Point area.
-Palace of Fine Arts. It’s a great place for a stroll. You can also take pretty pictures!
– A walk through Golden Gate Park and the serene Japanese Tea Garden.
– A ride on the iconic SF cable car is a must.
– After this hectic sightseeing day, I would love to take my friend either to Cha Cha Cha for Tapas or to Burma Superstar for yummy Burmese food.

Day 2: A relaxing day at St. Francis beach, Half Moon Bay.

Day 3: University of California, Berkeley. I love this place. It has a great vibe and awesome food options. Would love to stop by Cafe Strada for Italian soda and a slice of carrot cake.

Day 4: You can’t leave SF Bay Area without visiting Carmel and the scenic 17 miles drive.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First of my Mom and my Dad for buying me a lot of children’s picture books. As a child, I was very fortunate to have gotten an opportunity to read children’s books, literally from all over the world. Personally, reading illustrated children’s books has always been an immersive experience. I just fell in love with the different stories, drawing styles and cultures.

And of course my husband, Himanshu. Without his support I wouldn’t have been able to start my Publishing business. He is my soundboard and editor 🙂

Last but not the least, Hergé, the creator of The adventures of Tintin. His stories and art made me an avid reader and inspired me to become an illustrator.

Website: http://miheika.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miheikapublications/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devika-joglekar-baa368a

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/miheikabooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiheikaPublications/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq6sA7T-ivHA05wrYZHhF5g