The upcoming Volume 2 of the Tagdu Manga Series was released on 11th and 12th April 2026 at Kolkata Comic Con held at the Biswa Bangala Exhibition Center in Kolkata, where nearly 30,000 participants took part.
Sanjai Banerji, creator of the Tagdu Manga Series, has brought the Japanese art of storytelling to India while adhering to traditional Japanese manga formats including back-to-front reading style, black & white presentation, and anime-style characters. Volume 2 has more pages and more action than the first volume, and Banerji is now poised to introduce his manga comics into schools, initially in Madhya Pradesh and later across other states. He has already started receiving invitations from schools.
Sanjai Banerji decided to create Indian manga for school children in India due to several reasons:
- Japanese Manga has age restrictions and depending on the type of manga carries parental advisory labels suitable for above +13 years, +16 years, and +18 years.
- Japanese Manga often contains scenes not suitable for school children, yet are openly sold in bookstores.
- Japanese Manga carries labels on the front cover mentioning explicit content.
- Japanese Manga has been banned in libraries in Indian schools.
Banerji’s illustrated stories are suitable for all age groups from 5 years and above. In today’s world, children need not just information, but also values, and visual storytelling is one of the most effective ways to pass them on through the Tagdu Manga Series.
Three of the main characters — Tagdu, Princess Prajnavati, and Senapati — teach children that courage, wisdom, and discipline must go hand in hand to build a meaningful life.
Tagdu teaches children that greatness does not come from power, but from the courage to make the right choices. Princess Prajnavati shows that true leadership lies in wisdom, balance, and inner strength. Senapati represents discipline and duty, reminding children that strength must always be guided by responsibility.
Earlier, during the three-day Hyderabad Comic Con event ending on 2nd November 2025, Tagdu Series Volume 1 was released with much fanfare. Tagdu and the Wrath of the Serpents, India’s first historical manga, brings ancient India alive through adventure and history.
Set around Sanchi, Besnagar, and the Udayagiri caves during the Mauryan era, the story follows Tagdu, a humble stone carver whose courage protects his village from the serpent queen Nagani and the dark sage Jaratkaru. Blending mythology, archaeology, and moral dilemmas, this richly illustrated manga introduces young readers to India’s heritage while celebrating bravery, wisdom, and compassion. It is perfect for students, history lovers, and manga readers seeking an epic Indian adventure rooted in real history.
Volume 2 — Tagdu and the People of Ayodhya — is a 200-page action-packed manga that continues India’s first historical manga series in a powerful journey across the Mauryan age, where empire meets conscience and leadership is tested beyond the battlefield.
Sent as the King of Sanchi’s emissary, Tagdu travels through uneasy lands where authority is negotiated through trade, custom, and belief rather than rebellion. From a deadly duel on the Vetravati bridge to the calculating order of Kaushambi, he discovers that loyalty cannot be commanded; it must be understood.
When conflict finally erupts before Ayodhya, victory demands restraint rather than conquest. As warriors clash and fields tremble beneath elephants and steel, Tagdu must decide what truly deserves protection — power, or the people who endure beyond it.
Blending real historical landscapes, moral courage, political wisdom, and epic action, this black-and-white manga brings ancient Indian civilization vividly to life for readers of all ages.
At 66 years of age, Sanjai Banerji has lived the life of his characters as a marathon runner, mountaineer, and author of three fitness books, twenty-four anthologies, one novel, and five comics. He hopes to introduce his manga comics into Indian schools in a major way in the years to come.
In April 2026, Sanjai Banerji was invited to speak to students of Shrewsbury International School India, a co-educational British boarding school situated in Bhopal. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to challenge and inspire students from Lower Secondary through Cambridge IGCSE to International A Levels. Students are encouraged to participate widely across sports, music, drama, creative arts, and clubs.
Sanjai Banerji’s session included an interview, with most questions directed toward his life at The Doon School and how he balanced academics, sports, and extracurricular activities during his time there.
The session concluded with an interaction with students discussing his books on running, mountaineering, his fictional novel Justice on the Hills, and the manga comics Tagdu and the Wrath of the Serpents and Tagdu and the People of Ayodhya. Sanjai Banerji also presented signed copies of the above books to the school’s library.
Both manga comics are available on Amazon and Flipkart.
Tagdu and the Wrath of the Serpents
https://amzn.in/d/7mvYCfn
Tagdu and the People of Ayodhya
https://www.amazon.in/dp/9377525888
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