Lucknow: Beyond the loss of 15 young lives, Monday’s devastating fire in Aliganj wiped out two institutions that had become landmarks in their own spheres — Head Hoppers Studio, among Lucknow’s earliest independent 3D art and game-design studios, and a pet clinic-cum-shop that had served animal lovers across the city for years.Established in 2017, Head Hoppers Studio was widely regarded as a pioneer in Lucknow’s digital art ecosystem. At a time when opportunities in 3D art production, animation and game asset creation were largely confined to metro cities, the studio created a platform for aspiring artists from Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states to build careers in the fast-growing gaming and digital design industry.Over the years, it earned a reputation for nurturing fresh talent and offering young artists their first professional break. All 15 people who perished in the fire were associated with the studio and belonged to the generation of designers, animators and digital creators it had helped shape.The studio’s founder and CEO, Tushank Jaiswal, who has been arrested in connection with the incident, was known in industry circles for his expertise in character modelling and digital art. According to colleagues, he had worked with leading studios and sought to create opportunities for talented youngsters outside major urban centres. The company employed around 40 people, several of them in hybrid roles.“It was perhaps the first facility in Lucknow dedicated to game art outsourcing and 3D asset production. Young artists from different states wanted to be associated with it because it offered opportunities that were otherwise difficult to find outside bigger cities,” said a former associate, requesting anonymity.The blaze also destroyed a pet clinic-cum-shop operating from the building since 2021. Owned by Ramakrishna, the facility had earned goodwill among pet owners for its veterinary services and care for animals. The fire gutted the premises and also claimed the lives of animals housed there.For many pet owners, the loss was deeply personal. Kinjal Shukla, a regular visitor, remembered the owner with emotion.“Ramji bhaiya would often treat injured or abandoned animals without charging a single rupee. He never turned away anyone seeking help for their pets. For many of us, he was much more than a veterinarian,” she said.The Aliganj multi-story building was co-owned by Virendra Prasad Shukla (who also runs the Rameshwaram Institute of Technology and Management), who was arrested. His brother, Surendra, also an accused in the case, is absconding. Their house is in Madeyganj on Sitapur road.
