On Constitution Day, India not only celebrates its supreme law but also remembers the man who literally wrote history by hand. Yes, the original Indian Constitution was not typed, it was beautifully handwritten, page by page, by a single calligrapher.
The calligrapher behind the masterpiece
The honour of hand-writing the English version of India’s Constitution went to Prem Behari Narain Raizada, a renowned calligrapher from Delhi. He came from a family of skilled penmen and was specially chosen for his elegant, flowing handwriting.
Raizada spent nearly six months writing the entire Constitution by hand, all 395 Articles, the Preamble and the Schedules. He worked using traditional nibs and special ink, changing his pen nibs hundreds of times to keep every letter perfect.
In a remarkable gesture, Raizada refused to take any payment for the work. Instead, he made one simple request: his name should be written on every page as the calligrapher and his grandfather’s name should appear on the final page. The Constituent Assembly happily agreed.
The Constitution wasn’t just handwritten, it was also beautifully decorated. The borders and artwork were created under the guidance of the legendary artist Nandalal Bose and his team from Shantiniketan, giving each page a royal, handcrafted look.
A national treasure preserved forever
Once completed in November 1949 and signed in January 1950, the handwritten Constitution became a priceless national treasure. Today, the original document is kept safely in a special helium-filled, temperature-controlled case inside the Parliament Library to protect it from damage.
Only replicas are shown to the public, ensuring the original stays preserved for future generations.
As India celebrates Constitution Day, remembering Prem Behari Narain Raizada reminds us that our Constitution is not just a legal document, it is also a stunning piece of art, written with passion, patience and immense dedication.
