Achyut Palav

Achyut Palav was born in Bombay in 1960. He graduated with a general diploma in Art from the J.J. School of Art in 1982 and honed his calligraphy skills under the guidance of R.K. Joshi. He then received a research scholarship from Ulka Advertising in 1984, where he focused on the ‘Modi’ script – a specialised branch of calligraphy used from the 15th to the 17th century. He was a faculty member of the J.J. School of Art.

Palav’s mission is to bring calligraphy forward as both an art form and an expressive medium. He believes each letter in every script known to man holds eternal power and an individual beauty in their vertical, horizontal, angular, and continuous lines. In his own practice, Palav indulges in a plethora of instruments to create his free-flowing strokes: toothbrushes, shaving brushes, blush brushes, spatulas; tin lid; and of course, regular calligraphic pens. He initially began with paper; however, he now experiments with different surfaces including canvas, keyboard covers, slate, ceramic tiles, and wood. 

Palav founded the Achyut Palav School of Calligraphy, Navi Bombay, which teaches the art of calligraphy. Built on the foundation of India’s rich culture and vast heritage of scripts, Palav and the school aim to keep this ancient practice alive through basic courses in calligraphy.

Throughout his career, he has participated in numerous exhibitions in India and abroad. He has also won several awards including the Maharashtra Film Award (2003, 2006, 2012); the Maharashtra Art Award (1992); and the Communication Guild Award (1993, 1994, 1998). Palav lives and works in Bombay.