A few months ago, I stumbled upon the most fascinating story on a website. In Moscow there is a pack of dogs that go on a daily commute on the underground metro trains, from the suburbs to the city centre. They follow traffic and metro rules and apparently recognize the stations that they need to disembark at. I see stray dogs all over Mumbai’s local train stations. Some are well taken care of, sometimes by the station authorities, or people who live at the station. But then there are some people (usually commuters) who will kick them, hurt them, and shoo them away. What they don’t understand is that the streets are their home. That is where they belong, and are as entitled to it as we are. So when people complain about angry street dogs, when they send them to the pounds where the dog catchers mistreat them, they don’t realize that the dogs are just leading their lives, and it is them, the humans, that are encroaching on their space. So I wrote this story with the best conservationist I know----S h a m bu, a n d t h e t wo cutest, smartest detectives I have come across----M o p es an d P urr. I am honoured to write a mash-up between them. I hope that you will appreciate the need to respect the creatures that live in cities too, just like us, and not just worry about the animals in the forests. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy the issue. There is much else to get excited by. I am so pleased that Mos Queeto returns in this issue. Also, the saga of the ‘Super Villains for Hire’ continues. All the usual suspects----R a v i S i nh a, T ushar Abhichandani, Alicia Souza, Sean D’Mello and Rohan Chakrabarty return, and we have both Tantri and Suppandi making an appearance too! And a huge welcome to Bhanu Pratap Singh. I’ve wanted to work with him for a long time, and I hope he works for the Digest for a while to come. Have a great September! Digestively yours, Neel
Tinkle Digest is committed to bringing children the funniest and the most thrilling stories. Filled with the most recognizable Indian comic characters, from Suppandi to Shikari Shambu, from Kalia the Crow to the Defective Detectives, Tinkle Digest also features new work by some of India's most exciting writers and artists for children. And that's not all! Each issue comes with loads of knowledge pages, facts and value education. The perfect size to read anywhere, Tinkle Digest will never disappoint.