In 2021, I got the opportunity to look closely at my favourite samples from the 1967 catalogue of the Javaji Dadaji Type Foundry, and draw lettering inspired by them for a publication being put together by Hindi literary magazine, Nayi Dhara, to celebrate writer and publisher Uday Raj Sinha.

48 point ornamented ‘Madhukar’ from the Javaji Dadaji Type Foundry catalogue (1967).

Shown in the Javaji Dadaji Type Foundry catalogue as 36 point ornamented ‘Dattaram’ and 48 point ornamented ‘Madhukar’, I have been drawn to this design from the time I first saw it over a decade ago.

The lettering I drew captures the same depth and three-dimensionality, while updating the proportions of the letterforms to something a bit more contemporary. This was all to serve the goal of creating lettering that harked back to the past, but was not of it.

In addition, I also created an illustration of Sinha’s signature based on examples from various personal letters he had written.

Working on the signature was a potent reminder of the compelling letter shapes that emerge when text in the Devanagari script is written fast. The connected द and य, and staggered headline are particularly noteworthy in Sinha’s signature.