Indian pens are a thing — affordable, beautifully crafted and they write like a dream. You are going to want to get on board before everyone else finds out.
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Affordable Fountain Pens Made in India
In the U.S., we’re on page one of the burgeoning Indian stationery revolution. It shouldn’t surprise me that incredible fountain pens are manufactured in India. After all, children still learn handwriting in Indian schools, and there are national longhand competitions and special schools devoted to teaching longhand. So, of course, Indian pens are amazing.
At some point in the past couple of decades, Japanese stationery blew up. Now, just about everyone who knows anything about journals and pens owns a Hobonichi Techo and a Pilot Metropolitan. It’s not like Japanese office supplies just showed up suddenly — the Japanese fascination with fine paper blew up in the Edo period (1603–1868). America, though, didn’t pay much attention to Japanese pens and paper until 1949 when Sailor introduced its first pen. In the 1980s, the Pilot gel pens really took off, then someone discovered Midori and it all went crazy town. These days, you can’t swing a No. 2 Ticonderoga without knocking over a stack of Stalogy 016s.
So, maybe you can understand why I’m so excited about Indian pens. It’s like getting in on the ground floor.
Which Brings Me to FPR — Fountain Pen Revolution
FPR specializes in Indian-made fountain pens. Its inventory began with founder Kevin Thiemann’s fascination with the simple practicality and affordability of Indian pens. Now FPR carries most brands of Indian pens, including the incredible Ranga Giant 9B handmade ebonite pen, which ought to cost about three times its asking price.
Recently, I asked Thiemann three questions.
What was your first Indian pen?
“I don’t exactly remember what my first Indian pen was,” Thiemann says. “I know a piston-filled pen called the Chelpark Moti was one of my first, though.”
What’s so great about Indian pens?
“Indian pens are a great value as they are solid writers at very affordable prices.”
Why should people buy Indian pens?
“One reason to buy our pens is the ultra-flex nib option. They are the most flexible steel nibs I have found. But in general, our offerings are designed to give the best bang for the buck. We don’t make expansive and fancy Visconti-type stuff. We make pens that are meant to be used and perform at stellar prices.”
Four Affordable Indian Pens Punching Above Their Weight
The qualifications for this list are based on my personal obsessions — not an exhaustive list of particulars. As Thiemann said, they’re fountain pens. They work. However, the pens here represent what’s great about Indian pens right now: You can afford them, they are beautifully crafted, and they write like a dream. Here we go.
1. Ranga Giant 9B Fountain Pen in Ebonite
Look at this pen. It’s exactly the same size as Pilot’s legendary Namiki Emporer, but at $108, it’s a fraction of the price. Like the Emperor, the Giant 9B is finished in ebonite, hand-turned, and brilliantly crafted in a variety of colors. You have six different nibs to choose from, including stub nibs for those of you who like to write in sharp italics.
2. Kanwrite Relik
The Relik is a sleek, professional pen reminiscent of older Pelikans. Except they cost less than a decent macchiato. At only $9.80, it is one of the best deals out there. Kanwrite has been in the pen business for decades, providing other manufacturers with quality nobs long before getting into the pen side of the business. The Relik features a hooded nib, just like the Lamy 2000. A hooded nib prevents the ink from drying so quickly and lets you get a grip closer to the paper. And, frankly, it just looks cool. Check it out.
3. Airmail 444 with the Flex Nib upgrade
The 444 is eyedropper-filled, which means the whole body is the reservoir for the ink. This means it holds a ton of ink, which is cool since it’s clear, so you’ll be able to see your ink disappear as you write all day with their delicate flex nib. Full disclosure: While I was working on this story, the company had a BOGO sale. I picked up two of these and can’t wait to use them.
4. Camlin Trinity
Camlin, which was founded in 1931, is one of the companies developed from the Swadeshi movement of the early 20th which saw India move to rely less on imported goods. Camlin Trinity pens are little legends that cost less than nine bucks. They’re fillable three ways: converter, cartridge, or eyedropper, which is where they get their name.
And Three Indian Pens That Are Legendary and Pricey
3. Ratnam Sons Swadeshi Pen
Ratnam Sons may be the oldest pen makers in India. According to the company’s history and fountain pen lore, Gandhi asked Kosuri Venkat Ratnam to make an affordable and worthy fountain pen from Indian materials. Wait, this sounds a lot like the story of Camlin pens …. I’ll admit that discovering the original penmaker inspired by Gandhi gets into some murky parts of the web, but Ratnam Sons seems to have the most legit claim. Their Tarpoda is a sort of Holy Grail pen for a lot of pen freaks (ahem) because it seems so difficult to buy. Ratnam Sons doesn’t seem to have a website. They have a Facebook page but only accept orders and payments through WhatsApp. As your intrepid reporter, I will order a pen from them, assuming I can afford it, and let you know how the experience went.
2. Magna Carta Heartstrings with Matching Inkwell
Magna Carta Heartstrings is a resin pen with rhodium trim and a resin inkwell to match. These are wonderfully crafted, made for collectors, and make excellent executive gift sets. The whole Magna Carta line is exquisite, with many of its pen gifts tipping the checkout price over the $10,000 mark. But the Heartstrings pens are a nice price at $250 and worth every penny.
3. Lotus Hand-Painted Ebonite Peacock
Made from Nikko ebonite and painted by hand to order, this pen is extravagant in every way. Order one with the addition of a clip and with the cursive italic nib, and you’ll be dropping $750 on a pen you won’t get for four to six weeks. But what a pen. The Lotus catalog is filled with great pens. I might choose the $200 Shikhar Buffalo Horn because I kind of think writing with a buffalo horn is swanky.
Indian Pens Aren’t the Only Inexpensive Fountain Pens
But they are an emerging trend in America. As people discover the value of these writing implements from South Asia, expect that value to price ratio to lean further away from the affordable end of the scale. Although, that still hasn’t happened for Jin Hao and Hong Dian. Both are Chinese brands making very elegant, satisfying fountain pens that rarely cost more than $20. And as much as I like the $15 piston-filled Airmail with a flex nib I bought from Fountain Pen Revolution, I’m equally enamored of my $8 Jin Hao x750.
Cheap fountain pens are trending. Get yours today.
