View source for Manick Sorcar

{{Short description|Indian American film director}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Manick Sorcar
| image              = 
| image_size         = 
| caption            = 
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1944|11|29}}
| birth_place        = [[Tangail]], [[Mymensingh]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]
| occupation         = Artist, animator, laserist, engineer
| nationality        = American
| parents            = [[P.C. Sorcar]], Basanti Devi
| website            = {{URL|www.manicksorcar.com}}
| spouse             = Shikha Devi
| children           = [[Piya Sorcar]], Payal Sorcar
| alma mater         = [[Indian Institute of Technology, BHU]], [[University of Washington]]
}}

'''Manick Sorcar''' (formal name Prafulla Chandra "P.C." Sorcar) is an [[Indian American]] artist, animator, engineer, and laserist. Sorcar is an artist<ref name="indiatimes">[http://www.twfindia.com/peopleDetail2_01.01.04.asp The Animator] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124003846/http://www.twfindia.com/peopleDetail2_01.01.04.asp |date=24 November 2018 }} (Trans World Features, Interview, 2004)</ref> in various media, including fine arts, cartoons, animations, laser arts, and world-touring stage shows with live action mixed with laser animation. His animated films, all based on children's stories from India, have won prestigious awards at international film festivals and been broadcast on the [[Public Broadcasting Service]] for 25 consecutive years.<ref name="pbs">[http://issuu.com/pravasitoday/docs/pravasi__today_january_2010_issue Manick's Animation Films on US TV Stations] (Pravasi Today, 2010)</ref><ref name=coloradogov>[https://www.india.com/the-indian-diaspora/state-of-colorado-honors-manick-sorcar-for-animation-shows-270329/ Colorado Governor Honors Manick Sorcar] (India.com, 2015)</ref> His laser arts and animation in various forms have won global awards from the [[International Laser Display Association]].

== Early life and background ==

Sorcar was born on 29 November 1944.<ref name=worldbook>{{cite book |last=Sur |first=Roma |year=2009 |title=World of Manick Sorcar: Where Art Becomes Magic |edition=First |publisher=Galaxylight Books}}</ref>
He is the eldest son of legendary Indian magician, the late [[P.C. Sorcar]]<ref name="Statesman">[http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?id=53254 Manick Sorcar Wins for Rule of Twenty-One]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ([[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]], 2004)</ref> and Basanti Devi. He has two older sisters, Ila and Gita, and two younger brothers [[P. C. Sorcar Jr.|Prodip]] and [[P. C. Sorcar, Young|Provas]], both of whom are magicians. He is married to Shikha Devi and has two daughters, [[Piya Sorcar|Piya]] and Payal.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

In his youth, Sorcar was a stage assistant for his father's world-touring magic shows, where he also painted backdrops and designed the stage lighting. He chose not to pursue magic as a career as he was more interested in lighting and art, in which he also saw forms of magic.<ref name=worldbook />

After receiving his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering (first class) from the [[Indian Institute of Technology, BHU]], he wanted to see more of the world and came to the United States to pursue higher education in lighting technology and to practice art. He earned his master's degree in electrical engineering from the [[University of Washington]].<ref name="thehindu">[https://web.archive.org/web/20060715033214/http://www.hindu.com/mag/2006/06/04/stories/2006060400160700.htm Animate Magic] ([[The Hindu]], 2006)</ref>

== Career ==

=== Engineering ===

Sorcar started his professional career as an engineer at Howard W. Butterweck and Company, an electrical consulting engineering firm in Denver, Colorado.<ref name=denverpostmonks>{{cite web|title=Of lasers and monks: Arvada engineer, artist illuminates a great soul|date=17 August 2013|url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_23885647/lasers-and-monks-arvada-engineer-artist-illuminates-great|publisher=[[The Denver Post]]|access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref> After two years, he became a partner, and the firm changed its name to Butterweck-Sorcar Engineering, which later became Sorcar Engineering. Over the course of 40 years under Sorcar's leadership, the company flourished, and completed numerous multimillion-dollar projects, including the [[Denver International Airport]], the [[Colorado Convention Center]], and several sport centers in Japan and Saudi Arabian palaces. During this time, Sorcar authored three widely-used books on lighting design, used as textbooks in US and Indian universities.

=== Laser art and animation ===

Sorcar first shot to fame in the nineties when his ''[[Deepa & Rupa: A Fairy Tale from India]]'', India's first animation mixed with live action, received the Gold Plaque at the [[Chicago International Film Festival]] in 1990 and was nominated for an [[Emmy Awards|Emmy Award]]<ref name=emmynom>[https://emmyawards.tv/awards/archives-nominees-and-winners/list-of-winners-and-nominees/1991-nominees/ 1991 Emmy Nominees]</ref> in 1991, and ''The Sage and the Mouse'' won the Gold Medal at the [[New York Film Festival|International Film Festival of New York]]<ref name="onlypunjab">[http://onlypunjab.com/fullstory2k5-insight-news-status-24-newsID-74947.html Manick Sorcar: Building bridges through art and animation] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20070927213032/http://onlypunjab.com/fullstory2k5-insight-news-status-24-newsID-74947.html |date=2007-09-27 }} (OnlyPunjab.com, 2005)</ref> in 1993. Other animated films he created include ''The Woodcutter’s Daughter'', which was a finalist at the [[New York Film Festival|International Film Festival of New York]]; ''Sniff'' (''Gandha Bichar''), which received the Golden Eagle from [[CINE]]; and ''The Rule of Twenty-One'', which won the Bronze Plaque at the [[Columbus International Film & Video Festival|Columbus International Film Festival]].<ref>[https://www.awn.com/news/colorado-ring-new-year-animation-india Colorado to Ring in New Year with Animation of India] (AWN, 1 January 2006)</ref>

Starting in 1999, he began to create new forms of animation using lasers as a medium. His ''Calcutta Forever: A Laser Fantasy'' was recorded as the first laser-documentary screened inside a movie theater. In 2000, he received the ''Excellence in Art Plaque'' from the National Federation of Indian American Associations in New Jersey, for his laser shows ''Dancing with My Soul'' and ''India Forever''.<ref>[http://www.laserist.org/laserist2008/2008-08%20Laserist.pdf The Laserist Interview: Manick Sorcar] (Laserist Cover Story, 2008)</ref> Hosted by the Indian Consulate General of San Francisco for India's 61st [[Republic Day (India)|Republic Day]] celebration on 26 January 2010, his laser documentary ''Our Republic's Birth'', which captured India's history starting from 3300 BCE to its independence from the British and proclamation as a Republic Dominion was shown at the historic [[Palace of Fine Arts]] in [[San Francisco]], [[California]].<ref name="indiawest">[http://www.indiawest.com/readmore.aspx?id=1761&Sid=1 India Republic Day 2010] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713025832/http://www.indiawest.com/readmore.aspx?id=1761&Sid=1 |date=2011-07-13 }} (India West, January 2010)</ref>

In 2012, he produced ''[[Swamiji (film)|Swamiji]]'', an hour-long laser documentary on [[Vivekananda|Swami Vivekananda]], which was praised by the critics, [[Ramakrishna Mission]]s and [[Vedanta Society|Vedanta Societies]] around the world for its accurate depiction of Swami Vivekananda's life.<ref>[https://littleindia.com/manick-sorcar-man-laser-touch/ Manick Sorcar, the Man with the Laser Touch] (Little India, 19 September 2017)</ref> The Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, Howrah, India said "It was as if he was painting the events of Swamiji's life with a paintbrush before our eyes. It was fascinating." about the show which took place on 31 January 2014 at [[Belur Math]] campus, attended by 15,000 people.<ref name=telegraph>{{cite web|title=Laser show on Swamiji|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140207/jsp/howrah/story_17907291.jsp#.U5VMLhbxW7I|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140609063231/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140207/jsp/howrah/story_17907291.jsp%23.U5VMLhbxW7I|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 June 2014|newspaper=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)|The Telegraph]]|access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
* ''[[Deepa & Rupa: A Fairy Tale from India]]'' (1990)
* ''The Sage and the Mouse''
* ''The Woodcutter’s Daughter''
* ''Sniff (Gandha Bichar)''
* ''The Rule of Twenty-One''
* ''Calcutta Forever: A Laser Fantasy'' (laser documentary)
* ''Our Republic's Birth'' (2010) (laser documentary)
* ''[[Swamiji (film)|Swamiji]]'' (2012) (laser documentary)

== Honors and awards ==

Sorcar is a three-time winner of the ILDA Artistic Award from the [[International Laser Display Association]] and is also the first Indian American to ever win this award. He first won in 2006<ref name=buddhistchannel>[http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=2,2503,0,0,1,0 Prestigious award for creator of Buddha laser show] (The Buddhist Channel, 2006)</ref> for his ''Enlightenment of Buddha'', which mixed live-performance with life-size laser animation and three-dimensional visual effects on stage and won the First Place at the 2005 International Laser Display Association award contest. His second win was in 2008,<ref name=laserfocusworld>[http://www.laserfocusworld.com/display_article/324418/12/none/none/INDUS/ILDA-honors-LaserLight-Magic-photography-with-2007-Artistic-Awar ILDA honors LaserLight Magic photography with 2007 Artistic Award] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803114106/https://www.laserfocusworld.com/display_article/324418/12/none/none/INDUS/ILDA-honors-LaserLight-Magic-photography-with-2007-Artistic-Awar |date=3 August 2021 }} (LaserFocusWorld, 2008)</ref> for the laser photography of his laser-art ''Reflection'', which won First Place for laser photography at the 2007 [[ILDA]] award contest. His third win was for the innovative application of lasers in his production ''Light Art in Shower Ocean'', which won first place at the 2015 ILDA contest. His 2017 laser animation, ''Beautiful Mess'', won an Award of Merit at the Accolade Global Film Competition.<ref>[https://www.indiawest.com/news/global_indian/denver-colorado-based-laserist-and-animator-manick-sorcar-wins-award/article_147ab29c-7627-11e7-82de-7fdaf5d5e53c.html Denver, Colorado-based Laserist and Animator Manick Sorcar Wins Award at Global Film Contest] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803114012/https://www.indiawest.com/news/global_indian/denver-colorado-based-laserist-and-animator-manick-sorcar-wins-award/article_147ab29c-7627-11e7-82de-7fdaf5d5e53c.html |date=3 August 2021 }} (India West, 31 July 2017)</ref>

Sorcar has received a number of honors, including the ''Bharat Samman Achievers Award''<ref name=nri>[http://www.nriinstitute.org/nridivas2011_2.html# NRI Institute Achievers Award] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008214742/http://www.nriinstitute.org/nridivas2011_2.html |date=2011-10-08 }} (NRI Institute, 2011)</ref> at the XXI Annual Meet NRI Divas 2011 of the NRI Institute in New Delhi. In 2011, [[Jadavpur University]] opened the ''Manick Sorcar Laser Animation Laboratory''. Sorcar donated laser lab equipment worth more than US$100,000 and introduced the first laser animation course at the university as a special application of lighting for degrees in illumination engineering.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120912040143/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110321/jsp/calcutta/story_13740322.jsp Wizard of light brings magic of laser to JU] ([[The Telegraph (Kolkata)|The Telegraph]], 2011)</ref>

On 6 November 2013, at [[Aalen]], Germany, he was bestowed with the ''Special Achievement Award for Cultural Enlightenment'' from the [[International Laser Display Association]] for exceptional merit in using laser display to celebrate India's heritage, and to prepare the next generation by introducing a course on laser art and animation and establishing the Manick Sorcar Laser Animation Laboratory at [[Jadavpur University]].<ref name=timesaward>{{cite web|title=Indian-American honored for laser displays of Indian heritage|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/us-canada-news/Indian-American-honored-for-laser-displays-of-Indian-heritage/articleshow/26750892.cms|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref>

On 24 May 2014, at [[New Delhi]], India, he received the ''IIT-BHU Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award'' for Outstanding Contributions in the Field of Cultural and Enlightenment through Science and Arts.<ref name=statesmanaward>{{cite web|title=Alumni Award|url=http://www.thestatesman.net/news/58022-alumni-award.html|publisher=[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]]|access-date=7 July 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714155617/http://www.thestatesman.net/news/58022-alumni-award.html|archive-date=14 July 2014}}</ref>

In 2015, during the [[Silver Jubilee]] celebration for the 25th anniversary of his animation broadcast on PBS, the [[Governor of Colorado]] [[John Hickenlooper]] congratulated Sorcar by writing:<ref name=coloradogov /> {{Blockquote|"For a quarter of a century, your animation films have taken children on a special journey to the lands of India where they have learned more of her culture and people. These films have taught that diversity is an asset and what brings us together is our common thread of humanity irrespective of where we grow up...your work continues to make Colorado, the United States, and India proud."}}

== Further reading ==
Sorcar's art and animation have been the subject of numerous articles, academic research papers, and books.{{cn|date=May 2024}} For his simultaneous contribution to art and science, he was acclaimed as "the Renaissance Man of our time" in the book ''Voices of Colorado: Perspectives of Asian Americans'' ({{ISBN|0615202136}}) by Nestor Mercado, Elnora Minoza-Mercado, and Alok Sarwal.
 
'''Books on Sorcar'''
* ''World of Manick Sorcar: Where Art Becomes Magic'' (Roma Sur, 2009, {{ISBN|1607252899}})<ref name="romasur">[http://www.laserist.org/manicksorcar-book.htm Laser Art Book: World of Manick Sorcar: Where Art Becomes Magic] ([[International Laser Display Association]], 2008)</ref>
* ''East Meets West: The Animation of Manick Sorcar'' (Wendy Luna, 2010, {{ISBN|0578054043}})<ref name="wendyluna">[http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-139648.html US writer pens book on India-born animator] (New Kerala, 2010)</ref>

== See also ==
* [[P. C. Sorcar]]
* [[List of Bengalis]]
* [[List of Indian Americans]]
* [[List of people from Kolkata]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.manicksorcar.com Official Site]
* [http://www.laserlightmagic.com LaserLight Magic]
* [http://www.sorcarengineering.com Sorcar Engineering]
* [http://www.indianmagicians.com/ Indian Magicians Web Site]

{{Notable people of P. C. Sorcar family|title-background=navbox}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sorcar, Manick}}
[[Category:American people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:American businesspeople]]
[[Category:American Hindus]]
[[Category:Indian animators]]
[[Category:American animated film directors]]
[[Category:Indian animated film directors]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Banaras Hindu University alumni]]
[[Category:University of Washington College of Engineering alumni]]
[[Category:Bengali male artists]]
[[Category:Bengali film directors]]
[[Category:American people of Bengali descent]]
[[Category:Bengali writers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Artists from Denver]]
[[Category:Bengali Hindus]]
[[Category:Sorcar family|Manick]]
[[Category:1944 births]]