The 7th Inked Happiness Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred upon Mr. Nikil Ranjan on August 1st, 2025, at the Metropolitan Bypass Club, Kolkata. The Award recognizes lives dedicated to the cause of fountain pens and inks, and has in the past been won by the Late Dr Bibek
What begins in jest often ends in joy, and the story of The Chowmein Guerrilla is exactly that. A pen lover with a name born of mischief — “Chowmein” for his unabashed love of the humble noodle, and “Guerrilla” because, funnily enough, people would often label him as
Starmark, with its enviable presence in the major shopping malls in Kolkata (five in the last count: City Centre Salt Lake & New Town, Mani Square, Quest, and South City), is the go-to destination for book lovers. The store formats are extremely user-friendly, the collections are thought-provoking, and the
Satikanta Guha (1st June, 1910 to January 8th 1991) founded a school that went on to become the largest in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records. But that is hardly enough of a measure of the greatness of the man. For he was a true
It was never easy being a scribe. Imagine carrying your quill (and a penknife to sharpen it at regular intervals) along with a pot of ink to work. Dank. It was only a little better when the holders with their metal nibs were introduced. Well, it did do away
I grew up with Sulekha ink blotches on the shirt pockets of my school uniform. It was a kind of “badge of honour,” like the ink-stained fingers and callouses on the fiddle finger, that on a deep subconscious level reassured us that we were giving our studies all that
The final of the ICC Champions Trophy was on 9th March 2025. And India was playing. Naturally, organisers and participants alike were a bit skeptical, fearing that cricket will keep the crowds glued to their sets at home, affecting footfall at the Chennai Pen Show. Not unjustified, considering that
The Kumbh Mela – a congregation like none other. Millions arrive, drawn by an invisible force, seeking purification in the flowing waters at Prayagraj where the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati meet. The rivers flow ceaselessly, carrying prayers, hopes, and stories – dissolving the burdens of the past,
Four inks celebrating the different aspects of Kolkata’s favourite annual utsav, Boi Mela were launched at the 48th Kolkata International Book Fair by Suleka. These inks were unveiled by Tridib Kumar Chatterjee (Honorary President, Kolkata International Book Fair), Shudhanshu Sekhar Dey (Honorary General Secretary, Kolkata International Book Fair), and
The Indian fountain pen and ink industry is seeing a kind of growth that would have been hard to believe even a few years back. Various brands are vying for a place in the mind-space of users as the market grows steadily, and competition from imported brands continues to
Old money is inheritance passed down generations, a class of people who have maintained their wealth over time. These are people, as opposed to the nouveau riche: those that have most likely come into money within their own generation. Old money reeks of class, a subtle refinement that quietly
It was one of the defining moments in history. Chinese Tang and Abbasid forces were ranged against each other on a sweltering day in July 751 in what is known as the Battle of Talas. The actual outcome of the battle is immaterial, for what matters is that the
