Kalam
Developed by Indian Type Foundry with Devanagari by Lipi Raval and Latin by Jonny Pinhorn, Kalam is a handwriting-style typeface that mimics the look of writing with a thin felt-tip or ballpoint pen. Its steeply slanted letterforms are optimized for on-screen readability across three weights and support both Devanagari and Latin scripts. Ideal for educational content, bilingual branding, and friendly interfaces that need a genuine handwritten quality with solid legibility.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789
About Kalam
- Designer
- Indian Type Foundry
- Foundry
- Indian Type Foundry
- Released
- 2014
- License
- SIL Open Font License 1.1
- Category
- Handwritten
- Recommended Weight
- 700
- Script Support
- Latin, Devanagari
- Available Weights
- 300400700
Pairs Well With
Open Sans
Open Sans’ clean, neutral design provides a stable structural foundation that lets Kalam’s warm pen-style personality shine as an accent.
Compare side by sideNunito
Nunito’s rounded terminals echo Kalam’s soft, friendly character, creating a warm and approachable pairing for educational content.
Compare side by sidePoppins
Poppins offers both Devanagari and Latin support like Kalam, making them a practical bilingual pairing with complementary geometric and handwritten styles.
Compare side by sideSimilar Fonts
Caveat
Casual handwriting — notes, annotations, personal touch
Architects Daughter
Blueprint lettering — quirky, creative, playful
Patrick Hand
Neat handwriting — readable, friendly, approachable
Permanent Marker
Marker pen — bold, energetic, rebellious
Satisfy
Flowing script — elegant casual, invitations, personal brands
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Kalam suitable for bilingual Latin and Devanagari designs?
Kalam was designed from the ground up with both Devanagari and Latin scripts sharing a consistent pen-style aesthetic. The slant, stroke weight, and overall warmth are harmonized across both scripts, ensuring bilingual layouts feel cohesive rather than mismatched.
What writing instrument does Kalam simulate?
Kalam mimics the look of writing with a thin felt-tip or ballpoint pen, resulting in relatively even stroke widths with subtle variation at terminals. This gives it a more controlled, legible handwritten quality compared to brush or calligraphic script fonts.
How does Kalam compare to Caveat for handwritten designs?
Kalam has a steeper slant and more pen-like stroke quality with South Asian calligraphic influences, while Caveat offers a more upright, rounded casual style. Kalam’s Devanagari support makes it uniquely suited for bilingual projects, whereas Caveat excels in annotations and casual Latin-script contexts.