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Chandrakant Bhide has been drawing pictures using typewriters for 41 years

Zara hatke: Chandrakant Bhide has made around 120 sketches of famous personalities including Mahatma Gandhi, Bal Thackeray and Kapil Dev

The typewriter may seem like an antique to most people today, but for Chandrakant Bhide it's quintessential to his art. Bhide, a retired banker, has been drawing pictures with typewriters for 41 years.

Bhide's tryst with the typewriter began in 1963, when his boss asked him to type up a telephone list. This inspired him to draw a telephone, using the keys of his typewriter.

Bhide had aspired to study at J J School of Art and become. But when he failed to fulfill those dreams, he gave vent to his creativity on a typewriter. He started drawing Ganeshas, and portraits of famous people like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawarharlal Nehru, Lokmanya Tilak, Indira Gandhi, Bal Thackarey, Lata Mangeshkar, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble and Sachin Tendulkar, among others.

"I keep myself busy with my artwork after retirement. Today, I have completed around 120 sketches of famous personalities. My creations have been appreciated by famous artists like R K Laxman, Mario Miranda, Vikas Sabnis, Mangesh Tendulkar and P L Deshpande," he said.

"This is a different type of art and it's purely a hobby that I enjoy immensely," he added.

On display

Bhide's work is on display at the Bal Gandharva Kala Dalan (Art Gallery) in Pune till tomorrow between 10 am
and 8 pm. The exhibition also includes his Spell O Fun series, where he has used letters interspersed with graphics to convey the meaning of a word.