Kannur girl wins world handwriting contest

Every Indian student has probably heard the “teachers will give extra marks if you write neatly” advice. Class topper Ann Mariya Biju says she’s been flaunted as an example of this. The Plus One student of Nirmala Higher Secondary School, Chemperi, Kannur, recently won the first prize in the ‘artistic handwriting’ category at the World Handwriting Contest.

“Yes, teachers say that my books and answer sheets look so neat that they feel like giving me good marks,” says Ann, who aspires to be a doctor. The contest judged in New York receives entries from around the world, and though Indians feature prominently among winners, there has been only one winner from Kerala before, says Ann, who won in the teens category.

Calligraphy is something that Ann got into during the lockdown. “Like several others during the lockdown, I wanted to try my hand at something different and new, and I really got got into calligraphy. I even started a YouTube channel demonstrating how to do it,” she says.

Ann is self-taught and she has perfected her skill through continuous practice. “All my old notebooks got totally used up, because I practised everyday. And because I need to concentrate on my studies, I force myself to put it away, otherwise I’d be doing it all day. But once I do become a
doctor, this is a skill that I would like to continue to put to use,” says the youngster.

While Ann does calligraphy in English and Malayalam, she finds that the former allows better chances for experimenting with styles. “Good calligraphy happens through using good instruments, practice and effort. And of course, because we all have different handwriting, each calligrapher will have developed their distinctive styles,” she points out.

Of course, Ann is very popular in school at the start of the academic year, when friends want to get their names and more artistically imprinted on their books. “I enjoy doing it and my classmates are very encouraging and supportive of my my skills,” she says.