What began as a spark during the pandemic has flourished into a purpose-driven passion for Hyderabad-based doodle artist, Atul Kabra. With his initiative Doodle Kabra, he is not only introducing doodle programmes in school curriculums, but also tying up with top brands to tell their stories. At the heart of it all, says Atul, are emotions. “Emotions are my main tool. Every doodle begins with heart. The process is entirely hand-drawn, raw, and filled with intention. I believe that the imperfect lines and natural smudges carry the energy of the story being told. We do use digital tools in some parts of the process, but only for refinement or adaptation, never for creation. This helps us tailor the doodle for specific formats like merchandise or campaign rollouts. But the soul of every doodle is always handmade.”
Atul, who is now a TEDx speaker, has received recognition from celebrities like Allu Arjun, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Rana Daggubati. Atul grew up with two incredibly artistic family members — his mom and his naani — and he calls them his early years inspiration.
Stating that he never though he would come this far in the last five years, Atul says that his journey has been intensely fulfilling. “Doodle Kabra started as a small, personal project. It all began through word-of-mouth. People started gifting our custom doodles and sharing them online. First from schools, and then from brands who were seeking something more human, heartfelt, and emotionally resonant in their communication. Since then, we’ve had the chance to collaborate with some iconic brands. From classrooms to corporate campaigns, we’ve done it all.”
The doodle artist has some grounded advice for anyone who wants to walk this path — don’t wait for perfection. “Start small. Don’t wait to be perfect. Doodling is about perspective. Observe people, places, conversations, and emotions, and then draw what you feel. Even a simple scribble can hold meaning if it’s honest. Take that one step and begin. Find your own niche. Don’t copy what’s trending. Let your own voice come through. Your style is supposed to be different from others. That’s the beauty of it.”
