Graphic Arts Pioneer
Laxman Shridhar Wakankar
Widely known as Lipikar Bapu Wakankar, he was a pioneering researcher in typography, scripts and printing technology in India. His work bridged traditional Indian scripts with modern mechanical and digital typesetting systems.
Born
17 September 1912
Guna – Central India
Field
Typography • Printing Technology
Known As
Lipikar Bapu Wakankar
Specialisation
Script Design & Keyboard Systems
Education
- Primary education – Guna, Sagar, Jabalpur, Neemach, Indore and Dhar
- Matriculation – Dhar (Allahabad Board), 1927 First in High School
- Inter Science – Dhar (Ajmer Board) First at Anand College
- Mechanical Engineering – V.J.T.I Mumbai (1929–30)
- B.Sc. Tech – Industrial Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Banaras Hindu University (BHU) – 1935
Professional Career
Industrial Teacher – R.B. Chunilal School, Fyzabad (1935)
Distillation Chemist – Hindustan Aromatics Co., Banaras (1935–37)
Founder Partner – Ideal Institute Pvt. Ltd. (Asha Brand Beauty Aids & Inks) Banaras – 1936 Shifted to Mumbai in 1939, resigned 1950
Partner – Julie Claire brand Lipsticks & Varnishes with Edward J. Fielden & Mrs. Meave Scott J. Walter Thompson Co. Mumbai (1943–47)
Production Director – Ninad Advertising Ltd (1947–50)
Founder – Kromo Prints, Mumbai (1950)
Founder – Institute of Typographical Research (ITR), Pune with Vasant Bhat and Mukund Gokhale
International Collaboration
L. S. Wakankar served as Graphic Arts Consultant for several international organisations including Inpolygraphmash (Moscow), Asian Cultural Centre for UNESCO (Tokyo, Japan) and Graphic Arts Research Foundation Inc. (Boston, USA).
He actively collaborated with institutions such as the National Institute of Design (Ahmedabad) and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (Mumbai).
Scripts & Keyboards
| No. | Description | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Study of Epigraphy, Historical Research & Script Designs | since 1926 |
| 2 | Official Calligrapher – Marathi-Gujarati Script Reform Committee, Govt of Mumbai | 1939–49 |
| 3 | Pantographic cutting of Steel types for Govt of Maharashtra | 1961–62 |
| 4 | Designed Marathi & Gujarati types for Halda and Remington typewriters | 1966–67 |
| 5 | Designed new die-system for Devanagari addressing machines | 1968 |
| 6 | Designed fine-line Devanagari types for Godrej typewriters | 1970 |
| 7 | Collected data on composition of Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Urdu scripts | 1970 |
| 8 | Lead Paper on Common Script for South Indian Languages | March 1970 |
| 9 | Produced Photo-matrix for Devanagari typesetting at Tata Press | 1972–74 |
| 10 | Designed DATEK keyboard for Harris Intertype Fototronik-600 | 1974 |
| 11 | Patent – Oblique cut matrices for linear Devanagari composition | 1978 |
| 12 | Tele-Nagari Input Output concept for tele-printer | 1977 |
| 13 | Computer input using molecular build-up with phonological atoms | 1978 |
| 14 | Compact keyboard design for Monotype India Ltd | 1978 |
| 15 | Computer keyboard for National Centre for Software Development, TIFR | 1978 |
| 16 | Functional keyboard for traditional Devanagari for Diatronic Photosetter | 1979 |
| 17 | Linear marching display type for Devanagari at TIFR |
Awards & Recognition
- Phalke Industrial Prize – Maratha Chamber (1952)
- State Award for Excellence in Printing – Government of Maharashtra (1966)
- Acharya Vinoba Bhave Award – Nagari Lipi Parishad, Gandhi Smarak Nidhi