04-07-2025
In classrooms, gel pens write fountain pens' early obituary
Mangaluru: A heap of nib boxes waiting for replacement with broken ones from several years at the shop of B Sham Bhat in Hampankatta tells the story of how the fountain pen, once a must-have in school bags, is fast losing popularity among students, as schools increasingly favour ball and gel pens.
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Pulling out from his drawer, where one can see walls and his workplace splashed with fountain ink, along with a few old pens that are there for repair, Bhat, owner of Vijaya Pen Mart, said the use of fountain pens among schoolchildren declined over the past decade. "There was a time when I replaced 100 broken nibs per day; now, hardly one or two. The nib stock here has been lying around for the past 10 years. As per my knowledge, only 5% to 10% of schoolchildren use it, and the rest all depend on gel or ball pens.
Those who buy fountain pens are professionals such as doctors, advocates, and others," said Bhat, adding there are some customers, including NRIs staying in Gulf countries, who come to his shop to buy fountain pens for their children. "The countries they work in do not have a fountain pen collection like we have here. In total, we have plenty of supply of fountain pens but no demand," he pointed out.
Bhat, who has been in the sale and repair of fountain pens for the past five decades, also added that he has customers from Kerala.
"The state has made it mandatory in schools to use fountain pens. The same should be applied to Karnataka state as well. The use of fountain pens has many advantages, including sustainability," he pointed out, adding that the use of fountain pens faded away due to ink stains and no proper policy.
A parent who was at Bhat's shop scouting for a fountain pen for their fifth-grade son said it was used for improving his handwriting.
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When TOI contacted schools, they shared that only a few children use it on their own will. "It is not compulsory but voluntary," said Sr Melissa, principal of Mount Carmel Central School. Sr Maria Sarika, principal of St Agnes CBSE School, added they ask children to avoid gel pens and use ball pens. "When it comes to fountain pens, we have limited users," Sarika said.
Fountain pens provide stability for grip in writing, which is not the same in gel or ball pens, says Deena Dimple D'Souza, assistant professor in the department of occupational therapy at MCHP, MAHE, Manipal. Dr Varghese Joe C, an orthopaedician and professor at a medical college who switched to fountain pens for writing about seven years ago, said writing is smooth and helps with good handwriting. "The only drawback for students could be ink stains, and waterproof ink is expensive," he said.
