Chief executive officer of Gogi Studios, Nigar Nazar is the first woman cartoonist of Pakistan and perhaps of the entire Muslim world. She has for over 30 years rendered pictorial humour with a down to earth pragmatism. Her character Gogi is an urban Pakistani woman struggling with her frailties in the context of gender-discriminate social norms. These highly expressive cartoons have provided cheer on gloomy days and attempt to expose the hypocrisy of society.
Born in 1948, Nazar started her career in 1971, when she switched out of a pre-medical degree to study fine arts. She graduated with a degree in fine arts from Punjab University, Lahore. She also took several courses from the Australian National University, Canberra.
Nigar studied as a Fulbright Professor at the art department of the University of Oregon in 2002/2003, and as a Fulbright Visiting Specialist at Colorado College in 2009. UNICEF sponsored her visit to Hanna-Barbera Studios in Manila, for a training session on animated films. She is an International Art Instructor.
Nazar's main character, Gogi, has been a popular comic-strip character in newspapers worldwide. Gogi is a modern Pakistani Muslim woman with short hair and long eyelashes, usually seen wearing a polka dot–covered dress. Gogi Studios works on projects that actively address social issues.
Nigar is a founding member of the Asian Youth Association for Animators and Cartoonists, headquartered in Guiyang, China. She has been an official speaker and jury member of numerous art and cartoon competitions, both international and national such as the APACA (AYAAC), Aydin Dogan Vakfi (Turkey), Himal Cartoon Conference (Nepal), Cartoonists Congress (Malaysia/Singapore), and the Oxfam Congress for Women's Issues (Sri Lanka). Nazar has conducted many workshops and outreach programmes to privileged and under privileged students in Pakistan.
Nigar has received many commendations and honours from organizations such as: UNICEF, Bishkek International School, Kinnaird College for Women Lahore, International Charity Group Maputo, The World Festival of Australia, Pan Pacific, and South East Asia Women's Association. The Government of Pakistan conferred on her Fatima Jinnah award and Wateen has featured her as the ICON 2010 (among eleven males) in their diary and desk calendar.
Nigar Nazar conducted numerous cartooning workshops for children, especially those from disadvantaged communities, with the international non-governmental organisations PLAN, HEC (Higher Education Commission), National Government/CARE and Shaj-re-Ilm. Workshops were also organized with private organisations, such as KFC, for children.
