10 Calligraphy Artists India

10 Calligraphy Artists India

10 Best Calligraphy Artists in India (2026)

Best calligraphy artists in India 2026 — a curated guide

Calligraphy is the art of making letters worth looking at — and India does it better than almost anywhere in the world. From Devanagari scripts refined over centuries in Mumbai studios, to Copperplate flourishes at celebrity weddings, to Islamic calligraphy held in international collections, the depth of talent here is genuinely extraordinary.

This is a guide to ten of the finest calligraphy artists practising in India right now — spanning Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and beyond, across every major style and script. Whether you are searching for a calligraphy artist near you, planning live calligraphy at a wedding, or commissioning a custom piece as a gift, this is where to start.

Stoned Santa has been discovering and commissioning India's finest artists since 2016. If you want help reaching any of the artists featured here, or finding the right one for your brief, get in touch with Shashank and he will point you in the right direction.

10 Best Calligraphy Artists in India — 2026

Each artist is listed with their city, speciality, and what they are best suited for. The range here is deliberate — from National Award winners to digital lettering specialists, from classical Islamic scripts to contemporary brush work.

1. Achyut Palav — The Grand Master of Indian Calligraphy, Mumbai

Mumbai  ·  Devanagari · Roman · Indian Scripts

No conversation about calligraphy in India begins anywhere other than Achyut Palav. A National Award winner with over four decades of practice, he is the most influential Indian calligrapher alive — the figure who has done more than anyone else to argue that Devanagari belongs alongside Chinese, Persian, and Japanese calligraphy as a world-class art form.

A graduate of Sir JJ Institute of Applied Art in Mumbai, trained under the legendary R.K. Joshi, he founded the Achyut Palav School of Calligraphy and has authored several books on the subject. His work ranges from rigorously classical Devanagari compositions to bold gestural pieces in both Roman and Indian scripts — exhibited nationally and internationally. He is the reference point against which every other Indian calligrapher is measured.

Best for: Fine art commissions, institutional and legacy pieces, collectors of serious Indian script calligraphy.

Devanagari calligraphy by Achyut Palav, National Award-winning calligrapher from Mumbai

2. Sanjana Chatlani — Bombay Lettering Co., Mumbai

Mumbai  ·  Copperplate · Spencerian · Devanagari · Live Event Calligraphy

Sanjana Chatlani is the calligrapher who wrote at the Priyanka Chopra–Nick Jonas wedding. She has created bespoke lettering for Google India, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Rolex, and Deepika Padukone's skincare brand. She left a corporate career to found the Bombay Lettering Company — now one of India's most recognised calligraphy studios.

Trained in Copperplate and Spencerian under Italian Master Penwoman Barbara Calzolari — whose work is held at the Vatican — and in Devanagari under Achyut Palav himself, she moves fluently between Western classical scripts and Indian letterforms. Her commissions span handwritten pieces, surface lettering on wood, glass, mirror and acrylic, and live event calligraphy at some of India's most high-profile occasions. We have spoken with her at length about her practice and the art form — you can read that conversation in our interview with Sanjana Chatlani.

Best for: Wedding calligraphy, luxury brand activations, live event calligraphy, Copperplate and Spencerian commissions.

Sanjana Chatlani, founder of the Bombay Lettering Company — Copperplate calligraphy artist, Mumbai

3. Nikheel Aphale — Devanagari as Fine Art, Bengaluru

Bengaluru  ·  Abstract Devanagari · Mixed Media · Ink & Watercolour

Nikheel Aphale is arguably the most internationally recognised Indian calligrapher working today. An NID Ahmedabad alumnus based in Bengaluru, he has spent his career treating Devanagari not as a script but as visual art — abstracting its letterforms, layering them, working with unconventional tools alongside traditional nibs to produce compositions that are simultaneously rooted in Indian cultural identity and entirely contemporary.

His work is installed in India's new Parliament Building. His 2020 debut exhibition 'Sacred Strokes' sold out in six hours. He has exhibited at the World Calligraphy Biennale in South Korea, been published in the American journal Letter Arts Review, and received the Excellence in Calligraphy award at the Jikji International Exhibition in 2024. For collectors and institutions in search of serious contemporary calligraphy, his work is in a league of its own.

Best for: Fine art collectors, institutional commissions, contemporary Devanagari work, Bengaluru-based clients.

Abstract Devanagari calligraphy by Nikheel Aphale, Bengaluru — exhibited at the World Calligraphy Biennale

4. Shipra Rohatgi — Likhawat Designs, Delhi

Delhi  ·  Watercolour Calligraphy · Regional Scripts · Traditional Indian

Shipra Rohatgi is a fourth-generation calligrapher — her family has been practising this art for over a century. Through Likhawat Designs, she brings that heritage into the present with a practice built around watercolour calligraphy: regional Indian language poems and texts rendered in script, enhanced with botanical flourishes and soft colour washes that make the lettering feel as much like a painting as a piece of writing.

Over three decades she has completed projects for Bollywood actors, Indian royal families, industrialists, and international brands, across virtually every surface — stone, metal, canvas, walls, sarees, ceramics, wood, and glass. For clients in Delhi wanting a calligraphy artist who combines a century of family heritage with genuine visual warmth, she is in a category of her own.

Best for: Watercolour calligraphy, traditional Indian script commissions, personalised poetry and wedding invitations in regional languages, Delhi-based clients.

Watercolour calligraphy by Shipra Rohatgi, fourth-generation Indian calligrapher from Delhi

5. Sudeep Gandhi — Multi-Script Calligrapher, India

India  ·  Multi-Script · Indian Scripts · Award-Winning

Sudeep Gandhi has a singular ambition: to master and practise every Indian script through calligraphy. In 2024 he received the Excellence in Calligraphy award at the Jikji International Calligraphy Exhibition in South Korea — one of the most prestigious recognition events in global calligraphy — placing him firmly among internationally significant Indian calligraphers.

His multi-script practice demands extraordinary technical range. Each Indian script carries its own proportions, stroke mechanics, and tools. For clients who need calligraphy in a specific regional language — Hindi, Marathi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati — he is one of the few artists in India genuinely committed to all of them at the highest level.

Best for: Regional script calligraphy, culturally specific gifting, multi-language commissions, clients seeking internationally recognised Indian calligraphy.

Multi-script calligraphy by Sudeep Gandhi, Jikji International Award winner 2024

6. Suresh Waghmore — Kannada Calligrapher & Pen Maker, Bengaluru

Bengaluru  ·  Kannada Calligraphy · English · Watercolour · Bespoke Pens

Suresh Waghmore does something almost no other calligrapher in India does: he makes his own pens. That alone tells you how deeply engaged he is with the craft at every level. Based in Bengaluru, he works in both Kannada and English calligraphy — Kannada being a particular speciality, since skilled Kannada calligraphers are genuinely rare and the script's rounded, fluid character rewards the meditative, tool-sensitive practice he brings to it.

His wider practice includes watercolour work and experimental abstracts. For clients in Bengaluru and Karnataka seeking a calligraphy artist who knows Kannada script at the deepest level, he is the natural first call.

Best for: Kannada calligraphy, Bengaluru-based clients, regional script work with a contemporary sensibility.

Kannada calligraphy by Suresh Waghmore, calligrapher and pen maker from Bengaluru

7. Chandan Mahimkar — Digital Lettering & Calligraphy, Mumbai

Mumbai  ·  Digital Lettering · Brand Calligraphy · Contemporary

As calligraphy moves from paper to screen — brand identities, packaging, social media — an artist who understands both the traditional craft and its digital application becomes genuinely rare. Chandan Mahimkar, based in Mumbai, occupies exactly that space. He works at the intersection of classical calligraphy and contemporary digital lettering, producing work that retains the warmth of handcrafted script while functioning perfectly in modern contexts.

Recognised within the Indian calligraphy community — he has been hosted by the Bombay Lettering Company for workshops — his practice is ideal for brands, startups, and individuals who want the authority of calligraphic letterforms without the constraints of purely traditional media.

Best for: Brand identity with calligraphic lettering, digital wedding suite design, contemporary calligraphy for Mumbai-based businesses.

Calligraphy on denim by Chandan Mahimkar, digital lettering artist from Mumbai

8. Qamar Dagar — Islamic & Arabic Calligraphy, Delhi

Delhi  ·  Arabic Calligraphy · Islamic Calligraphy · Urdu · Persian Scripts

India's connection to Arabic and Islamic calligraphy runs through centuries of Mughal patronage, Urdu literary culture, and the Nastaliq tradition. Qamar Dagar, based in Delhi, is one of India's most accomplished practitioners of this lineage. Her work — Arabic and Persian scripts rendered with the precision and spiritual discipline the tradition demands — has been exhibited internationally and held in collections worldwide.

For clients seeking an Arabic or Islamic calligraphy artist in India — whether for Quranic verses, personalised Urdu or Persian text, wedding invitations in Arabic script, or decorative wall art — she is among the finest available anywhere in the country.

Best for: Islamic and Arabic calligraphy commissions, Urdu and Persian script work, devotional calligraphy pieces, Delhi-based clients.

Islamic Arabic calligraphy by Qamar Dagar, Delhi

9. Hera — Modern Brush Lettering, India

India (ships worldwide)  ·  Modern Lettering · Brush Calligraphy · Personal Gifting

Not all calligraphy needs to be monumental. Some of the most meaningful pieces are the ones that arrive at exactly the right moment — a quote, a name, a phrase — written with enough care and warmth that it stops you. Hera, known as themerakigirl, has built a following of over 20,000 through exactly this kind of work: approachable, warm, emotionally direct modern brush calligraphy.

Her commissions are particularly well suited to gifting, personal keepsakes, and wall art that feels genuinely felt rather than merely decorative. For clients who want contemporary calligraphy without the formality of classical traditions, she delivers consistently and with heart.

Best for: Personal gifting, modern brush lettering, motivational calligraphy art, accessible contemporary calligraphy.

Modern brush lettering by Hera (themerakigirl), Indian calligraphy artist

10. Dr. Santosh Kshirsagar — Devanagari Research Calligrapher, Mumbai

Mumbai  ·  Devanagari · Research Calligraphy · Typography

The most important work in any art form often happens quietly — in research, in teaching, in the slow building of knowledge that others stand on. Dr. Santosh Kshirsagar, BFA and MFA by research from Sir JJ Institute of Applied Art and currently its Dean, has spent over three decades doing exactly that for Indian calligraphy. His research into Devanagari is among the most rigorous in the country, and he has led hundreds of workshops across India and internationally.

His practice bridges calligraphy, typography, and visual communication — giving him a perspective that is rare even among highly accomplished artists. For clients in Mumbai who want Devanagari calligraphy that is academically grounded, precisely executed, and informed by decades of scholarship, his work represents the standard.

Best for: Institutional commissions, academically significant Devanagari work, typography and communication design, Mumbai-based clients.

Devanagari calligraphy by Dr. Santosh Kshirsagar, Dean of Sir JJ Institute of Applied Art, Mumbai

10 artists. Every script. Every city. Stoned Santa has been discovering and connecting India's finest artists with clients since 2016 — 10,000+ commissions and counting.

Talk to Shashank

Why Calligraphy in India Is Having Its Moment

In a world saturated with digital text, calligraphy has become the most human thing a letter can be. Indian artists are proving this on the world stage — at international biennales, luxury brand activations, and weddings that attract global attention. The country's deep tradition of diverse scripts — Devanagari, Nastaliq, Kannada, Arabic, Copperplate — gives its calligraphers a range that few other countries can match.

Demand is growing across every segment. Couples planning weddings want handcrafted wedding gifts and live calligraphy as an experience at the event itself. Brands want lettering that stands apart from generic typography. Individuals want a piece of handmade art that carries real meaning and will last. In all of these cases, a skilled calligraphy artist delivers something that no software can touch.

Finding a Calligraphy Artist Near You

Mumbai is the largest hub — home to Achyut Palav, Sanjana Chatlani, Chandan Mahimkar, and Dr. Santosh Kshirsagar, anchored by Sir JJ Institute's long tradition. Delhi has deep roots in both Islamic and Devanagari calligraphy, represented here by Shipra Rohatgi and Qamar Dagar. Bengaluru hosts Nikheel Aphale and Suresh Waghmore, both bringing design-school precision to their practice.

But location is rarely a barrier. Most commissions are handled entirely remotely — brief shared digitally, artwork delivered to your door. Whether you are in Pune, Jaipur, Kolkata, or commissioning from abroad as an NRI, the process is straightforward. Stoned Santa has been managing exactly these kinds of introductions since 2016. Talk to Shashank: +91 6201162515.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the most famous calligraphy artists in India?

India's most celebrated calligraphy artists include Achyut Palav (National Award winner, Mumbai), Sanjana Chatlani (Bombay Lettering Company, Mumbai), Nikheel Aphale (Devanagari abstract art, Bengaluru), Qamar Dagar (Islamic calligraphy, Delhi), and Shipra Rohatgi (fourth-generation watercolour calligrapher, Delhi). Each brings a distinct style, script, and city to the craft.

How do I find a calligraphy artist near me in India?

Stoned Santa works with established calligraphers across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, and the rest of India, and can match you with the right artist — whether you need someone in person for a live event or are commissioning work remotely. Contact Shashank at +916201162515.

How much does a calligraphy artist cost in India?

Wedding invitation suites typically range from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 20,000+. Live calligraphy at an event costs Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 1,00,000+ per session depending on the artist and duration. Custom framed artwork starts from Rs. 3,000. Contact Stoned Santa for a personalised quote.

Can I hire a calligraphy artist for a wedding in India?

Absolutely. Wedding calligraphy in India covers hand-addressed envelopes, invitation suites, live calligraphy at the event, and custom gifting. Several artists featured in this guide have worked at celebrity weddings across India. Get in touch to discuss your requirements.

What is Devanagari calligraphy?

Devanagari calligraphy is the art of writing the Devanagari script — used for Hindi, Marathi, Sanskrit, and Nepali — with expressive beauty and discipline. Using nibs, brushes, or reed pens, calligraphers produce letterforms that go far beyond functional writing. Artists like Achyut Palav and Nikheel Aphale have taken Devanagari calligraphy to international exhibition stages.

What calligraphy styles are practised in India?

India's calligraphic range is extraordinary: Devanagari, Nastaliq and Arabic for Urdu and Islamic calligraphy, Copperplate and Spencerian, modern brush calligraphy, watercolour calligraphy, and regional scripts including Kannada, Gujarati, and Bengali. Contemporary Indian calligraphers often blend styles across traditions.

Is calligraphy used for corporate branding in India?

Yes — extensively. Indian calligraphers have created custom lettering for Google India, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Rolex, and Cadbury. Calligraphy is used for logo lettering, packaging, live brand activations, and premium corporate gifting — adding a handcrafted quality that no typeface can replicate.

Can calligraphy artists in India write in regional scripts?

Yes. Achyut Palav specialises in Devanagari, Suresh Waghmore in Kannada, Qamar Dagar in Arabic and Urdu, Sudeep Gandhi across multiple Indian scripts, and Shipra Rohatgi across regional Indian languages. Get in touch to find the right specialist for your language and script.

Ready to Commission?

A decade in, 10,000+ clients, and a network of artists across India who are among the finest in the country at what they do. Stoned Santa knows these calligraphers — their strengths, their timelines, the commissions they are best suited for.

If you know what you want, reach out here and we will get it moving. If you are still figuring it out, tell us the occasion, the script, and a rough budget, and we will guide you from there. No pressure, no jargon.

Interview with Sanjana Chatlani, founder of the Bombay Lettering Company

Interview with Sanjana Chatlani, founder of the Bombay Lettering Company

Bringing words to life with Sanjana Chatlani

Sanjana Chatlani is a calligrapher, lettering artist and an entrepreneur based in Mumbai. She brings words to life through her beautiful lettering strokes. Having discovered her passion for calligraphy and lettering, she quit her corporate job to start – ‘The Bombay Lettering Company’, which has now become a home-grown brand.  

With the strong belief that calligraphy adds a handmade and personal touch that is irreplaceable, she has succeeded to create a wide range of products, from personalised letters to corporate packaging.

Let’s read more to find out how Sanjana turned her passion into a profession

How do you define art?

Art, to me, is anything that lets me express myself. It’s about pouring all my emotions onto the paper.

How were you introduced to hand lettering and calligraphy? What made you pursue it?

I have always been fascinated by art since my childhood days, but never really pursued it. After college, I started working with LVMH, as luxury brand management was something that I wanted to do back then. 

Two years into my work, I began to experiment with different hand lettering scripts in order to write inspirational quotes in my free time. Instagram introduced me to a whole new world of lettering artists, I started exploring different styles and techniques.

Around the same time, my family had planned a vacation to California. I took this opportunity to reach out to a few lettering artists in San Francisco. To my surprise, they were very generous and agreed to share their knowledge with me.

After learning from them, I started to practice everyday for about 3-4 hours after work. Consistency and dedication helped me get my initial projects, mostly from my friends and family. Over time, I was approached by others for personalized projects. This is how I started off.

How has your entrepreneurial journey been so far? Could you tell us more about your company?

I called quits to my job in July 2018 to start this full time. The transition from an artist to an entrepreneur-cum-artist wasn’t an easy one. Initially it was very overwhelming as I had to play the role of an artist, marketeer and the delivery girl. Being an extrovert, it took time to become accustomed to working in isolation. It was challenging to strike the balance between creating art and managing business. 

However, I have a small team now and I am able to focus more on the creative side. We do a lot of things, from personalized letters, to working on projects for brands, corporates, wedding planners and individuals. Some of my clients include The Ritz Carlton, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, Rolex replica, Moet Hennessy, Zoya – A Tata product and more.

Any project that you’d like to mention?

I had the opportunity to be the calligrapher for Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ wedding and was also asked to be present at the wedding in Jodhpur. This was a very memorable experience for me.

There was another project that was very dear to me for which I had to create a box full of handmade letters for a child who had just turned a year old so that she could read them after she grows up. I believe that calligraphy helps to bring words to life, and this project did exactly that.

What can one expect from your workshops?

I teach the introduction to pointed pen calligraphy. I make sure that they learn the basics well as that creates the foundation to build on, and I also help them understand how to use the tools as it’s the first and most important thing.

Presently, due to the quarantine, I take up one-on-one online classes for those who wish to refresh their lettering skills or want me to critique their work.

What plans do you have for your business in the coming years?

We will continue to do personalized projects and workshops. I want to focus more on our website and come up with a product line that people could choose from.

I also want to focus on conducting art therapy sessions for kids with special needs as it has given wonderful results in the past.

Could you throw some light on how art can be therapeutic?

At times we get so involved in getting the stroke correctly that we forget to breathe. Practicing a breathing pattern with every upward and downward stroke that you do is very relaxing and meditative.

Over the past 3 years, calligraphy has induced calmness in me. Calligraphy can also help kids with special needs to relax their mind. So, calligraphy and lettering are definitely therapeutic.

Who are the artists that you admire?

I look up to many calligraphers and artists who inspire me immensely. My teacher and mentor Barbara Calzolari, an Italian Master Penman, is one of my biggest inspirations. I have been trained under her to learn Copperplate calligraphy and Spencerian. 

I am also training under Achyut Palav, an Indian master calligrapher since 40 years and the most renowned in the country. He is teaching me our script – Devanagari.

Apart from them, I’ve studied and learned under different master penmen and calligraphers who have definitely helped me expand my horizon in this field. Some being – Michael Sull, Jake Weidmann, Nina Tran, Paul Antonio, Michael Ward and Sachin Shah.

 

Advice for young artists?

I never got any professional education in the field of art. Calligraphy just happened to me. My journey from passion to profession was very organic. 

I would like to say that if you have a passion for a particular art form, you should put in all your efforts, and at the same time be realistic. There is a huge difference between pursuing art with passion and creating art under pressure from clients with deadlines. You should take it slow, weigh out options and quit jobs to pursue art only when you are sure of having financial stability through what you’re doing.

Lastly, never become complacent and keep learning! Always be a student. Look for a mentor, someone you look up to, someone you respect and would like to learn from. Invest in yourself and focus on constantly improving your skills. 

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