Wasifi family brings Tonk's calligraphy to the global stage

Story by ATV | Posted by Aasha Khosa | Date 29-01-2026

Qari Mutiullah Wasifi with his prize winning work

Farhan Israeli/Tonk (Rajasthan)

Qari Mutiullah Wasifi, a calligrapher from Tonk, a city in Rajasthan, won the second prize in the International Islamic Calligraphy Competition, organised by the Islamic Art Society in New York, USA.

This recognition comes amid the rise of digital fonts and artificial designs globally.

Qari Mutiullah Wasifi competed with more than 4000 artists from around the world. On this occasion, Qari said his success at an international forum is not sudden. Over the past four years, India's presence in this competition has been consistent, and the Wasifi family has made it to the top every time.

In 2022, Qari Mutiullah Wasifi received the first prize. A year later, his son Haris Wasifi secured second place. In 2024, Haris won the first prize.

This year, the first prize was bagged by Egypt, the second by India, the third by Pakistan, and the fourth by Turkey. The award includes a certificate, a memento, and a cash prize. However, for the Wasifi family, the real honour is the recognition that comes with representing India.

Qari Mutiullah Wasifi at work

Qari Mutiullah Wasifi's journey didn't begin at an art college. His first school was his own home. His late father, Qari Salimullah Wasif Furqani, was a renowned calligrapher, reciter of the Quran, and a scholar. He had a command of Arabic, Persian, and Urdu.

His calligraphy of the Quran was his speciality. As a child, Mutiullah watched his father sit for hours, writing. The sharpness of the pen, the curves of the letters, and the measured amount of ink used were not mere play for him, but a matter of discipline.

For formal education, he enrolled at the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Arabic-Persian Research Institute (APRI) in Tonk. He completed a four-year diploma course, recognised by the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), Delhi. This is the same institution that has made Tonk a centre for Arabic and Persian studies.

Tonk is generally known for its madrasas, books, and Islamic education. But this city has also witnessed a well-established tradition of calligraphy. During the Nawab era, calligraphers from Iran and Central Asia taught locals the art.

Institutions like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Arabic Persian Research Institute (APRI) have preserved this legacy. This institution has trained many calligraphers who have made a name for themselves in India and abroad. Qari Mutiullah Wasifi is an important link in this chain.

Wasifi told Awaz-the Voice that for him, calligraphy is not just a means of decoration, but a part of worship. To date, he has handwritten 27 copies of the Holy Quran. Some of these Qurans are written in extremely fine script, while others are adorned with gold and silver.

Qari Mutiullah Wasifi with a competitor

He has also undertaken unique projects, such as writing the entire Quran on a single large sheet of paper. This work requires years of practice and patience. The placement of each letter is crucial, and even a single mistake can ruin the entire work.

One of Qari Mutiullah Wasifi's lesser-known yet important contributions is related to the preservation of manuscripts -- completing the half-done copies of the Holy Quran and rare books in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. So far, he has completed approximately 500 incomplete Qurans and hundreds of old books.

He has undertaken projects for private collectors, libraries, and research institutions. This effort breathes new life into books that might otherwise have been lost to oblivion.

Wasifi's art is not limited to paper. He has done calligraphy on cloth, leather, wood, metal, grains of rice, lentils, marble, hair, and even inside bottles. This art is not only a test of manual dexterity but also of concentration and balance.

Wasifi participated in the international calligraphy competition organised by the Islamic institution "Irtika" in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2022. This institution organises a prestigious global calligraphy competition every two years, in which renowned calligraphers from around the world participate.

In 2023, he also participated in the international calligraphy competition organised by Fujairah Company in Dubai (UAE). This competition is known for its distinguished jury and global participation.

Wasifi says that if workshops, exhibitions, and competitions are considered together, his participation in national and international events, both within and outside India, totals approximately 30.

Wasifi thinks it’s not his achievement, but a means of showcasing the Indian calligraphy tradition at the international level.

According to him, such platforms provide artists with opportunities to learn, test themselves, and connect with calligraphers from around the world. He has also received several honours at the national level.

He has also participated in international exhibitions and workshops in places like Bengaluru, Udaipur, Aligarh, Diggi Palace in Jaipur, and the Lalit Kala Akademi in Delhi.

In the Wasifi family, this art has been passed down from one generation to the next. Qari’s eldest son, Haris Wasifi, is an internationally acclaimed calligrapher. The second son, Abbas Wasifi, is a Hafiz and Qari (one who has memorised the entire Quran and recites it with proper pronunciation) and is pursuing his education at Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow.

The daughter, Sidra Wasifi, is an Alima (a female religious scholar) and teaches calligraphy to young girls. This family is not only preserving art but also discipline and heritage.

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Qari Mutiullah Wasifi has established 'Bazm-e-Wasif' in memory of his father. His dream is to create a special library and museum of calligraphy in Tonk, where his and his father's manuscripts can be safely preserved. He says that despite the lack of resources, his resolve remains unwavering. His goal is to ensure that this calligraphic heritage of Tonk reaches future generations.