Republic Day 2026: Prem Behari Narain Raizada, The Calligrapher Behind India’s Handwritten Constitution

Every Republic Day, as parade drums roll down Rajpath and schoolchildren rehearse patriotic songs, the Constitution of India quietly returns to the centre of our national memory. It is spoken about with reverence, quoted in debates, and waved around in courtrooms and classrooms alike. Yet the physical document itself, its texture, its ink, and its handwriting often fade into the background. Behind the longest written constitution in the world lies a tale of a man whose steady hand quite literally shaped the republic. While Dr. B. R. Ambedkar remains the towering architect of the Constitution’s philosophy and framework, the pages that carried those words into permanence were written by another remarkable figure. His name was Prem Behari Narain

Raizada, and without his quiet contribution, the Constitution would not look the way it does today.

A Constitution That Was Meant To Be Seen As Well As Read

The first draft of the Constitution was completed on 26 November 1949, after nearly three years of intense debate by the Constituent Assembly. This was not merely a legal exercise. India had just emerged from colonial rule and wanted a document that reflected dignity, permanence and civilisational confidence. The borders of every page were designed by artist Nandalal Bose and his students, who drew inspiration from India’s ancient art traditions. The illustrations featured motifs from the Harappan civilisation to the freedom movement, quietly narrating India’s long journey to self-rule. What remained was the task of giving those ideas a human hand. That responsibility fell to Prem Behari Narain Raizada.

A Childhood Steeped In Ink And Discipline

Prem Behari was born on 17 December 1901 into a family of traditional calligraphists. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his grandfather, Master Ram Parshadji Saxena, and his uncle, Mahashya Chatur Behari Narayan Saxena. His grandfather was a scholar of Persian and English and is said to have taught Persian to British officials during the colonial era. Calligraphy was not treated as a hobby in the household. It was a discipline that required patience and precision. Under his grandfather’s guidance, Prem started looking at the letters as living forms.

Later, he went to Delhi's St. Stephen’s College. By the time he reached adulthood, his reputation as a master calligrapher was established.

Jawaharlal Nehru And A Question Of Price

When the Constitution was ready to be transcribed, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru personally approached Prem Behari with a proposal. He asked him to handwrite the Constitution in an elegant flowing italic style and inquired how much he would charge. Prem Behari’s reply has since become part of Indian folklore. He refused to accept any payment, saying that he was content with what life had given him. However, he made one request. He wanted his name to appear on every page of the Constitution, and on the final page, alongside his own name, he wished to include the name of his grandfather. The request was accepted without hesitation.

Six Months Inside Constitution Hall

Prem Behari was allotted a room in Constitution Hall, which later became the Constitution Club. At the time, the draft consisted of 395 articles, eight schedules and a preamble. Working alone, Prem Behari spent six months transcribing the entire text with concentration. According to the Prem Foundation, he used 432 pen holder nibs during the process, primarily No. 303 nibs. These nibs were mounted on wooden holders and dipped repeatedly into ink pots, making the task physically demanding as well as mentally exacting. There were no erasures, no ink blots, and no visible corrections. Each page flowed seamlessly into the next.

Pages Built To Outlive Generations

The manuscript was written on parchment sheets measuring 16 by 22 inches, chosen for their durability and estimated lifespan of nearly a thousand years. The completed manuscript ran to 251 pages and weighed approximately 3.75 kilograms. On 24 January 1950, members of the Constituent Assembly signed the document. It was first signed by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first president, and the final signature belonged to Feroze Gandhi. Photolithographed copies were later produced at the Survey of India office in Dehradun. Interestingly, while the Preamble is widely reproduced and circulated, the full pages of the original handwritten Constitution remain rarely seen by the public.