Thiruvananthapuram: Renowned Malayalam calligrapher Narayana Bhattathiri has been appointed honorary director of the World Calligraphy Association, becoming the first Indian to hold the position.

The announcement was made on November 6 during the inaugural ceremony of the Cheongju Jikji International Calligraphy Exhibition in South Korea, according to a statement issued on Tuesday.

Bhattathiri also served as a jury member for this year’s Jikji International Calligraphy Exhibition.

As part of the event, the World Script Calligraphy Association (WSCA), chaired by Kim Dong-yeon, and the Ka Cha Ta Tha Pa Foundation, chaired by Bhattathiri, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen ties through artistic exchange and cooperation.

The agreement aims to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the organisations through joint exhibitions, workshops, and educational programmes for calligraphers and researchers, the statement said.