Isabella Carter
The Constitution of India, the supreme legal document of India, was hand-written by Prem Behari Narain Raizada, an Indian calligrapher, in a flowing italic style. It is the longest written national constitution in the world, with 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949 and became effective on 26 January 1950, which is celebrated as Republic Day in India.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Length | 145,000 words |
| Number of articles | 395 |
| Number of schedules | 8 |
| Number of copies signed | 2 |
| Languages of the copies | Hindi, English |
| Calligrapher | Prem Behari Narain Raizada |
| Style of calligraphy | Flowing italic style |
| Number of amendments | 100+ |
| Year adopted by Constituent Assembly of India | 1949 |
| Year it became effective | 1950 |
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What You'll Learn
The Constituent Assembly of India
The Constitution of India was drafted by the Constituent Assembly at two levels: committees and plenary. The committees were made up of smaller groups of Assembly members who prepared draft articles, reports, and notes on specific parts of the Constitution. At the plenary level, the Assembly met in full strength to discuss the reports of the various committees, moving amendments that were debated, dropped, or adopted. The drafting of the Indian Constitution took nearly five years and was completed in 1949, becoming effective on 26 January 1950. The original 1950 Constitution is preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi.
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Jawaharlal Nehru's role
Jawaharlal Nehru played a significant role in the framing of the Indian Constitution, both directly and indirectly. Born on November 14, 1889, in Allahabad, Nehru came from a wealthy background and was educated at elite institutions in India and England, including Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He trained in law at Inner Temple, London, and returned to India in 1912 to work as an advocate at the Allahabad High Court.
Nehru's political career began with the Indian National Congress, where he quickly rose through the ranks. He led several movements, including the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Kisan Movement in 1920 and participated in protests against the Simon Commission in 1928. He also moved the Purna Swaraj Declaration in 1930 and led the Civil Disobedience Movement in the United Provinces in the same year. During this period, he advocated for India's independence from British rule and played a crucial role in convincing the princely states to integrate with India.
Nehru's role in the Constituent Assembly, which was responsible for drafting the Indian Constitution, was influential. He was a minority voice in the Assembly, but his skills in debate and persuasion allowed him to make a significant contribution to the constitutional framework. Nehru ensured that the constitution reflected his commitment to pluralistic multi-party democracy, secularism, and social justice. He also advocated for children's rights and considered education essential for India's future progress.
As India's first prime minister, Nehru promoted parliamentary democracy, science, and technology. He steered India towards non-alignment during the Cold War, keeping the country out of the two main ideological blocs. His adherence to constitutional norms in politics and governance during his 16 years as prime minister helped solidify India's constitutional democracy.
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Prem Behari Narain Raizada, the calligrapher
Prem Behari Narain Raizada, born on 16 December 1901, was an Indian calligrapher known for his work on the Constitution of India. Coming from a family of calligraphers, he began learning the art form at a young age from his grandfather, a scholar of English and Persian. Raizada further honed his calligraphic skills at St. Stephen's College in Delhi.
In the late 1940s, as the Constituent Assembly of India was drafting the Constitution, Raizada was personally chosen by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, to hand-write the document. Nehru envisioned the longest legal document in the world to be handwritten, reflecting the country's history and struggles, its leaders' vision, and its people's aspirations.
Raizada's talent and skill in calligraphy brought the Constitution to life. He worked tirelessly for six months in a room in Constitution Hall, now known as the Constitution Club of India. The document, consisting of 395 articles, 8 schedules, and a preamble, was rendered in a flowing italic style. Raizada's calligraphy was so precise that not a single word was misplaced, nor was there a single blotch of ink on the 251 pages.
Raizada refused any remuneration for his extraordinary work, stating, "Not a single penny. By the grace of God, I have all the things, and am quite happy with my life." However, he did have one request: that his name be written on every page of the Constitution and that his grandfather's name, Ram Prasad Saxena, be included on the final page alongside his own. This request was granted, immortalising their names in the historic document.
The original manuscript of the Constitution of India, which came into effect on 26 January 1950, is preserved in the library of the Parliament of India, safely stored in a helium-filled case. Raizada's contribution as the calligrapher not only beautified the document but also played a role in preserving India's constitutional heritage.
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The Hindi translation
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India and is the longest written national constitution in the world. It lays down the framework that demarcates the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. It replaced the Indian Independence Act of 1947 and the Government of India Act of 1935 when it became effective on 26 January 1950, and India became a sovereign, democratic republic.
The original 1950 constitution is preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi. The original constitution is hand-written, with each page decorated by artists from Shantiniketan, including Beohar Rammanohar Sinha and Nandalal Bose. Its calligrapher was Prem Behari Narain Raizada, who was asked by Jawaharlal Nehru to write out the first copy of the document.
The original copies
The original hand-written Constitution of India is preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi. It consists of 395 articles, 22 parts, and 8 schedules, totalling about 145,000 words. It is the world's longest national constitution and the second-longest active constitution in the world. The Constituent Assembly of India, comprising indirectly and nominated elected members, drafted the Constitution. It was Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who wanted the Constitution handwritten in a flowing italic style.
The calligrapher Prem Behari Narain Raizada hand-wrote the original Constitution of India in both English and Hindi. He was born in December 1901 into a Kayastha Saxena family of calligraphers and was raised by his grandfather, a scholar of English and Persian, who taught him the art of Indian calligraphy. Raizada continued to refine his calligraphic skills at St. Stephen's College in Delhi. He used No. 303 pens for English calligraphy and a Hindoo dip-pen nib from Birmingham for Hindi calligraphy.
Raizada did not charge a fee for his work on the Constitution. Instead, he wrote his name and his grandfather's name at the bottom of every page. The original Constitution was decorated by artists from Shantiniketan, including Beohar Rammanohar Sinha and Nandalal Bose. It was published in Dehradun and photolithographed by the Survey of India. The Constitution was signed by each member of the Constituent Assembly, and its production took nearly five years.
The Constituent Assembly set up a Drafting Committee on 29 August 1947 to formulate a Draft Constitution for the newly independent nation. After 11 sessions and numerous debates and amendments, the Constitution was ready. On 26 November 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution, and it became effective on 26 January 1950. This date is celebrated annually in India as Republic Day.
Frequently asked questions
Prem Behari Narain Raizada was the calligrapher who hand-wrote the Constitution of India.
Each member of the Constituent Assembly of India signed two copies of the constitution, one in Hindi and the other in English.
The Constitution of India became the law of India on 26 January 1950.
