Name the calligrapher in Akbar’s court who was honoured with the title “Zarrin Kalam” or Golden Pen

Muhammad Husayn Kashmiri was a distinguished calligrapher in the court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He was renowned for his mastery of the Nastaliq style and was honored with the title 'Zarrin Kalam' (also spelled Zarin Qalam), which translates to 'Golden Pen', in recognition of his exquisite handwriting [1]. Akbar's court was a vibrant center for artistic excellence where titles were frequently bestowed upon gifted artists to reflect their skill; for instance, the painter Khwaja Abdus Samad was known as 'Shirin Qalam' or 'Sweet Pen'. While Abul Fazl was Akbar's famous biographer and author of the 'Ain-i-Akbari', and Tansen was the legendary court musician, it was Muhammad Husayn who received the specific distinction for calligraphy. This tradition of honoring calligraphers highlights the high status of the written word and manuscript illumination during the Mughal era [1].

Sources

1. [1] https://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/ramayana-with-a-mughal-brush/article7823296.ece