Shipra
When I first did the calligraphy gig (and handwriting analysis alongside) for guests of BMW/Mini Cooper, they were bowled over, and started asking for more such experiences, back to back. Ambassadors of various countries would queue up to get their messages personalised. I felt like a wizard. They gave me a few keywords and I created art out of these inside three or four minutes. So enamoured were they of my work that they joined the queue again for a repeat!
The key ingredient in this experience was personalisation. In my 30-plus years as a calligrapher, anyone who has ever seen me writing a name or a word in 10 seconds, is flabbergasted at my output! Some cried with joy, and some would react by hugging me. Spontaneity, after all, is a virtue!
When Words Become Art
Over the decades, when it comes to the written word, Likhawat has become a symbol of creative panache and trust. Begum Pataudi sat with me for the entire time it took (10-plus days) to handwrite Saif Ali Khan’s wedding invites, loving and appreciating what I was doing, and in disbelief that I was able to do it so effortlessly—better than a print job. And then she offered me the unbelievable privilege of engraving the late Nawab of Pataudi’s tombstone.
For the invitations of Priyanka and Robert Vadra’s wedding, three generations sat at the table with me at 10 Janpath: Priyanka herself, her grandmother, and Mrs Sonia Gandhi. Similarly, Maharani Kapurthala, an elderly but dainty figure, climbed three flights of stairs for Prince Aman’s calligraphed write-up (still in the WWF store, on Lodhi Road). Shahid Kapoor and Mohammad Azharuddin walked up to me during a Mont Blanc event and got their and their family’s names monogrammed.
Besides, I have serviced the hospitality sector for decades, brands like The Oberoi, Taj, Maurya Sheraton, The Park, St. Regis, etc. Also, from 1999 to 2010, I worked with every international luxury brand one could name! Additionally, I have serviced LVMH since its entry into India—even now, I get referrals from them to the most prestigious clients.
Poetry has been close to my heart and I have created some really beautiful pieces with just text—and then designed saris with those artworks! My work has been featured in Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Mann ki Baat,’ on wall murals and stained glass at Dak Bhawan, New Delhi, and on canvas, walls and stained glass at the head post offices in Chennai and Bengaluru.
Calligraphy as Therapy
As a calligraphy teacher, and with an enriching experience of 25 years, I can say that adding value to the student’s psyche is very important for their inner being. Motor skills are undervalued but they can act as a life-saver during any crisis, enabling us to sail through the tough times, through those make-or-break phases. Calligraphy, in fact, is a meditative practise. For instance, I ran programmes at Sri Aurobindo Society for several years, and the senior citizens who attended the sessions shared how effective they were; when the brain was engrossed with brush and paper, it helped counter their physical pain or emotional distress. And practising this regularly made them feel liberated!
I’m a regular (yearly) visiting faculty at various universities in India, among them Srishti Manipal and Amity. Various FM radio and TV interviews (including in Malayalam!) help keep me engaged with the youth, and in return my energies are refreshed and vitalised. I’m part of various calligraphy festivals at home and abroad. Besides, the walls of many resorts in India, and of health or Yoga clubs, are adorned with my murals.
I’m giving back to society in a unique way, enabling people to travel inwards and reconnect with themselves. And the benefits are mutual, for it’s all about creating experiences! If Client A refers me to client B, both would have awe and/or respect for the whole experience, and this builds a strong sense of trust and reliance, and leaves the way open to newer ventures. If a client has a specific need, calligraphy has the perfect and most exclusive solution, which possibly cannot be replicated—and that’s the beauty and exclusivity of calligraphy!
About Me
Hi! I am Shipra, a fourth-generation calligrapher from Delhi. My father, Shri Rameshwar Dayal, taught me how to astonish others with the written word, and I think I have learnt it well! For instance, PM Modi received my Hanuman Chalisa as a perfect gift for his VVIPs at the inauguration of Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. A calligrapher is a person who, like a magician, effortlessly brings out your emotions on a piece of paper—because communication is the key to a wholesome life!
The digital medium has revolutionised my calligraphy. I know so many students and professionals who practice calligraphy digitally, and are doing so well out of it! So, I’m very excited to create more meaningful content—such as the great words from Indian history and culture, quotations, poetry, and prayers—that can bring peace and joy to all!
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