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<title>Anil Kumar Chawhan</title>

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Anil Kumar Chawhan

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</style><table class="infobox biography vcard"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size:125%;"><div class="fn">Anil Kumar Chawhan</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Born</th><td class="infobox-data"><div style="display:inline" class="nickname">Anil Kumar Chowhan</div> 1970 (age 54–55)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Nationality</th><td class="infobox-data category">Indian</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Education</th><td class="infobox-data">Diploma in <a href="Fine_arts" class="mw-redirect" title="Fine arts">fine arts</a> (dropped out)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Known for</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="Islamic_calligraphy" title="Islamic calligraphy">Islamic calligraphy</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Style</th><td class="infobox-data category">Calligraphy</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Children</th><td class="infobox-data">2</td></tr></tbody></table>

Anil Kumar Chawhan<a href="#cite_note-1">[a]</a> (born 1970) is an Indian <a href="Calligraphy" title="Calligraphy">calligrapher</a> from <a href="Hyderabad" title="Hyderabad">Hyderabad</a>. He is known for painting Quranic verses on the walls of <a href="Mosque" title="Mosque">Mosques</a> and <a href="Dargahs" class="mw-redirect" title="Dargahs">Dargahs</a> in India. He received the Rehmat Alam International Peace Award in 2021.

Chawhan hails from a humble <a href="Marathi_people" title="Marathi people">Marathi</a> <a href="Hindu" class="mw-redirect" title="Hindu">Hindu</a> family from <a href="Maharashtra" title="Maharashtra">Maharashtra</a>, his maternal grandmother is from Hyderabad, where they eventually moved.<a href="#cite_note-:2-2">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-3">[2]</a><a href="#cite_note-4">[3]</a>

His father, mother and grandfather were also <a href="Painting_artist" class="mw-redirect" title="Painting artist">painting artists</a>, which sparked his interest in art from a young age.<a href="#cite_note-5">[4]</a><a href="#cite_note-:1-6">[5]</a>

He had to leave school after the <a href="10th_grade" class="mw-redirect" title="10th grade">10th grade</a> to support the family. He was quite skilled in drawing and painting, so he decided to pursue a career as a painter.<a href="#cite_note-:2-2">[1]</a>

He later enrolled in the SV College of Fine Arts at <a href="HITEC_City" title="HITEC City">Hi-Tech City</a>, Hyderabad, to pursue a three-year <a href="Diploma" title="Diploma">diploma</a>; however, after one year, he was unable to continue due to financial problems.<a href="#cite_note-:1-6">[5]</a>

However, his children have not pursued painting or calligraphy. His younger brother Rajesh assists him in his work.<a href="#cite_note-:1-6">[5]</a><a href="#cite_note-:2-2">[1]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Learning_languages">Learning languages</h2></div>

In Hyderabad, where <a href="Urdu" title="Urdu">Urdu</a> was commonly used in commerce, knowledge of the language was important, as the majority of shopkeepers were Urdu-speaking Muslims. This context motivated him to learn Urdu, which also facilitated his study of <a href="Arabic_script" title="Arabic script">Arabic writing</a>.<a href="#cite_note-:2-2">[1]</a>

He initially lacked familiarity with the Urdu language. He self-studied and learned Urdu without formal education or a teacher.<a href="#cite_note-:2-2">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-:3-7">[6]</a>

He began by writing Urdu words without comprehension. Over time, he recognised letters and words, practising by copying from Urdu books and creating <a href="Signboards" class="mw-redirect" title="Signboards">signboards</a>.<a href="#cite_note-:2-2">[1]</a>

In addition to Urdu and Arabic, Chawhan is proficient in <a href="Hindi" title="Hindi">Hindi</a>, <a href="English_language" title="English language">English</a>, <a href="Telugu_script" title="Telugu script">Telugu</a>, <a href="Marathi_language" title="Marathi language">Marathi</a>, and <a href="Bengali_alphabet" title="Bengali alphabet">Bengali</a>. He has not received formal education in any school or madrasa; rather, he attributes his abilities to a divine gift.<a href="#cite_note-:2-2">[1]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Career">Career</h2></div>

Chawhan is known for painting Quranic Arabic verses on Mosque and Dargah walls for over 30 years.<a href="#cite_note-8">[7]</a><a href="#cite_note-9">[8]</a><a href="#cite_note-:4-10">[9]</a>

Initially starting his career by painting <a href="Urdu" title="Urdu">Urdu</a> signboards, Chawhan learned the language to enhance his skills. His first opportunity to paint on a mosque came from a patron impressed by his calligraphy in 1995.<a href="#cite_note-11">[10]</a><a href="#cite_note-12">[11]</a>

He has worked in over 200 mosques, painting their walls with beautifully written Quranic passages. He states that he has not requested payment from at least a hundred mosques, receiving instead letters of gratitude for his contributions.<a href="#cite_note-:4-10">[9]</a>

While he faced no opposition from his community regarding his calligraphy in mosques, some individuals from the Muslim community expressed disagreement. To address this, Chawhan obtained a <a href="Fatwa" title="Fatwa">fatwa</a> in his favour from Jamia Nizamia, which helped to silence his critics.<a href="#cite_note-:1-6">[5]</a><a href="#cite_note-:2-2">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-13">[12]</a>

His work is also displayed in the library of <a href="Jamia_Nizamia" title="Jamia Nizamia">Jamia Nizamia University</a>, showcasing verses from the <a href="Quran" title="Quran">Quran</a>.<a href="#cite_note-:0-14">[13]</a>

He has been employed by two mosques in <a href="Secunderabad" title="Secunderabad">Secunderabad</a> to write <a href="Hadith" title="Hadith">Hadith</a> (Sayings of Prophet Mohammad) on the <a href="Blackboard" title="Blackboard">blackboard</a> of the masjid once a week.<a href="#cite_note-:1-6">[5]</a>

He has also painted 30 temples with images of Hindu gods and goddesses, as well as countless dargahs (mausoleums) and monasteries.<a href="#cite_note-:4-10">[9]</a>

Chawhan advocates for communal harmony, emphasising the peaceful coexistence of Hindus and Muslims (<a href="Ganga-Jamuni_tehzeeb" title="Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb">Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb</a>).<a href="#cite_note-:0-14">[13]</a>

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</style><blockquote class="templatequote">I believe art has no religion. God, Allah, Jesus: they are all one. And we’re God’s children. Today, most of my friends are Muslims. We eat together, hang out together, participate in mehfils [gatherings] and enrich each other’s lives</blockquote><div class="templatequotecite">— Anil Kumar Chowhan, <a href="Al_Jazeera" class="mw-redirect" title="Al Jazeera">Al Jazeera</a></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Awards_and_honours">Awards and honours</h2></div>

Chawhan received the Rehmat Alam International Peace Award on <a href="Eid_Milad-un-Nabi" class="mw-redirect" title="Eid Milad-un-Nabi">Eid Milad-un-Nabi</a> in 2021. The award, presented by Islamic scholar Maulana Shamim-ul-Zaman Qadri from <a href="Kolkata" title="Kolkata">Kolkata</a>, recognized Chauhan's voluntary contributions to writing Quranic verses in mosques. Additionally, Bazm Rehmat Alam organized an exhibition of his calligraphy works in celebration of Milad-un-Nabi.<a href="#cite_note-:3-7">[6]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Miracles">Miracles</h2></div>

Chawhan has several intriguing experiences from his work in the mosques, some of which he describes as spiritual. He shared two encounters with <a href="Muslim_Mirror" title="Muslim Mirror">Muslim Mirror</a> that he considers miraculous, feeling a divine presence during these moments.<a href="#cite_note-:1-6">[5]</a>

One such experience occurred during <a href="Ramadan" title="Ramadan">Ramadan</a>, after the <a href="Night_Prayer_(Islam)" class="mw-redirect" title="Night Prayer (Islam)">night prayers</a> when most people had left the mosque. While painting verses from the <a href="Quran" title="Quran">Quran</a>, he became tired and drowsy, eventually falling asleep while standing on a high stool with the brush in hand. When he awoke more than an hour later, he found that the verses had already been painted.

Another experience was particularly harrowing, as he narrowly escaped a fall.

After completing his calligraphic work in a mosque, Chawhan descended a wooden ladder. Just as he stepped off the last rung, the entire ladder collapsed.<a href="#cite_note-:1-6">[5]</a>

<blockquote class="templatequote">It was as if the ladder was waiting for me to finish my work so it could break. It all happened within a fraction of a second, I was dumbstruck.

Such incidents, where I feel a divine presence around me, remind me of how fortunate I am. Even God seems pleased with my work</blockquote><div class="templatequotecite">— Anil Kumar Chawhan, Muslim Mirror</div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Footnotes">Footnotes</h2></div>

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<li id="cite_note-1"><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a> Also spelled in sources as Chauhan or Chowhan.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

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</style><cite id="CITEREFYunus" class="citation web cs1">Yunus, Sheikh Muhammad. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.awazthevoice.in/culture-news/a-fatwa-that-saved-the-art-of-anil-chauhan-4000.html">"A fatwa that saved the art of Anil Chauhan"</a>. awazthevoice.in. Retrieved 14 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-3"><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFKhan2021" class="citation web cs1">Khan, Wajidullah (21 October 2021). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.awazthevoice.in/culture-news/anil-chauhan-has-painted-verses-in-hyderbad-mosques-798.html">"Anil Chauhan has painted verses in 100 Hyderbad mosques"</a>. awazthevoice.in. Retrieved 14 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-4"><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFToday2021" class="citation web cs1">Today, Telangana (20 March 2021). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://telanganatoday.com/watch-hindu-calligrapher-paints-quranic-verses-in-hyderabads-mosques">"Watch: Hindu calligrapher paints Quranic verses in Hyderabad's mosques"</a>. Telangana Today. Retrieved 18 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-5"><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a> <cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.brut.media/in/videos/hindu-artist-paints-mosques-with-arabic-verses-in-hyderabad">"Hindu Artist Paints Mosques With Arabic Verses In Hyderabad"</a>. www.brut.media. Retrieved 14 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-:1-6">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:1_6-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_6-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_6-2">c</a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_6-3">d</a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_6-4">e</a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_6-5">f</a> <a href="#cite_ref-:1_6-6">g</a> <cite id="CITEREFFatima2021" class="citation web cs1">Fatima, Nikhat (10 July 2021). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://muslimmirror.com/meet-anil-kumar-chauhan-the-arabic-calligrapher-from-hyderabad/">"Meet Anil Kumar Chauhan the Arabic calligrapher from Hyderabad"</a>. Muslim Mirror. Retrieved 14 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-:3-7">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:3_7-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-:3_7-1">b</a> <cite id="CITEREFYounis2021" class="citation web cs1">Younis, Sheikh Muhammad (21 October 2021). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.awazthevoice.in/lifestyle-news/artist-anil-awarded-for-writing-quranic-verses-in-mosques-6896.html">"Artist Anil awarded for writing Quranic verses in mosques"</a>. awazthevoice.in. Retrieved 14 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-8"><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFKhan" class="citation web cs1">Khan, Anees Ur Rahman. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.news18.com/news/india/hindu-by-faith-quranic-calligrapher-by-passion-how-a-painter-in-hyderabad-keeps-arabic-art-alive-3396791.html">"Hindu by Faith, Quranic Calligrapher by Passion: How a Painter in Hyderabad Keeps Arabic Art Alive"</a>. News18. Retrieved 14 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-9"><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFKantak" class="citation web cs1">Kantak, Raj. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.businessworld.in/article/hyderabad-hindu-calligrapher-paints-quranic-verses-in-mosques-377103">"Hyderabad: Hindu calligrapher paints Quranic verses in mosques"</a>. BW Businessworld. Retrieved 14 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-:4-10">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:4_10-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-:4_10-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-:4_10-2">c</a> <cite id="CITEREFLal" class="citation web cs1">Lal, Neeta. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/29/india-hindu-calligrapher-quran-art-mosques">"'Art has no religion': Hindu man paints Quranic verses on mosques"</a>. Al Jazeera. Retrieved 18 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-11"><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a> <cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/city/hyderabad/hindu-calligrapher-in-hyderabad-enriches-mosques-with-quranic-verses/videoshow/81276825.cms">"Hindu Calligrapher in Hyderabad enriches Mosques with Quranic verses"</a>. The Times of India. Retrieved 14 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-12"><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFadmin2021" class="citation web cs1">admin (23 July 2021). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://islamchannel.tv/hindu-calligraphers-art-in-over-200-indian-mosques/">"Hindu calligrapher's art is in over 200 Indian mosques"</a>. Islam Channel. Retrieved 18 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-13"><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a> <cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/a-hindu-artist-who-paints-koranic-verses-in-mosques/article3336878.ece">"A Hindu artist who paints Koranic verses in mosques"</a>. The Hindu. 20 April 2012. <a href="ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0971-751X">0971-751X</a>. Retrieved 18 December 2024.</cite>

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<li id="cite_note-:0-14">^ <a href="#cite_ref-:0_14-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-:0_14-1">b</a> <cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/hindu-calligrapher-paints-quranic-verses-in-mosques-in-hyderabad-india-1.77171621">"Hindu calligrapher paints Quranic verses in mosques in Hyderabad, India"</a>. gulfnews.com. 13 February 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2024.</cite>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2></div>

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