Suit – Samarth

Description

Suit is set in a Mumbai of the near future, when Safai Karamcharis have been provided with safety equipment,including a full body safety suit which gives them the moniker of Suitwalas. The story explores stigma, social change and mobility through the eyes of Vikas, a young “Suitwala”, as we follow him through a day in his life, flitting between incidents at work, moments he catches with his family and memories of his father.

The suit is hailed as a great leap in the right direction for the safety and dignity of Safai Karamcharis; however, has anything changed in reality or is the suit just a cover? The book speculates what change could look like in a profession so steeped in exploitation and exclusion, where the persistent stigma infuses every step towards betterment with a bitter aftertaste.

Samarth is a graphic novelist and researcher. His work borrows directly from the field work he happens to do intentionally or accidentally. Suit is his first graphic novel. Currently he is working in the social and development sector to create learning experiences for children. Most of his independent work happens before and after work hours.