Typography Society of India. Talk by Achyut Palav Jan 30th 2021

Achyut Palav is one of the most important names in Indian calligraphy today. With his unique approach, dedication and faith in the aesthetic appeal and potential of Calligraphy as an art form, Achyut has made significant contributions in reviving the glory of Indian calligraphy. His mission is to bring traditional and modern calligraphy to the masses. He goes beyond putting pen to paper to create an expression or style. He believes that each letter is a design in itself & a letter or symbol has the potential of a becoming a piece of art, whether painted individually or as a composition.
Born and brought up in Mumbai, Achyut completed his studies in Applied Art from Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art in 1982, specializing in lettering, typography and calligraphy. He has learnt from and worked with eminent Indian calligrapher Late Prof. R. K. Joshi, whom he considers his Guru. He also had the opportunity to work with German calligrapher Prof. Werner Schneider who has been an admirer of his art.
Palav’s initiatives have brought Indian scripts into public interest & inspired many young artists & students to look at calligraphy in a different perspective. His love for Indian scripts has led him to conceptualize & execute many ventures like ‘Calligraphy Roadways’ and ‘Callifest’- India’s first ever festival of calligraphy.
He is also the founder of Achyut Palav School of Calligraphy in Navi Mumbai and established Callihunt - Award for excellence in calligraphy. Both are the first of its kind in India.
Achyut Palav’s calligraphy has been used in advertising, fashion, electronic media, interiors & architecture, events and many more. He has also made significant contributions in the area of design education - he regularly conducts lectures and workshops on Calligraphy and Graphic Design in design and art colleges across the globe, inspiring generations of youngsters to take up Calligraphy with passion. He is also an adjunct professor at the IDC School of Design at IIT Bombay.
Achyut Palav has successfully experimented in fusion of calligraphy with music & dance. He has demonstrated that great masterpieces can be created when a calligrapher is inspired by tunes, rhythms, moves of a performing artist. He has worked with Pt. Bhavani Shankar (Mridangam), Pt. Jasraj (Vocal- Indian Classical), Rahul Sharma (Santoor), Sunita Rao (Vocal- Playback Singer), Rupak Kulkarni (Flute), Arti Paranjape - Dhanipkar, Tanvi Palav (Dance) & others.