Swachh Bharat

Kafeel is from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh but has lived in Delhi and painting for more than two decades. Having never been to school, he moved to the capital to become a street painter and established himself in the labyrinth of Old Delhi. He is also part of an initiative called Handpainted Type, which aims to preserve and promote the art of sign painting. In 2018, Kafeel was invited by London Letter Heads 2018, to a four-day long session on sign painting, typography and design, and the opportunity to paint with some of the most renowned sign painters from around the world.

Painter Kafeel and his team painted Swachh Bharat in his signature style using bold typefaces. Created in collaboration with the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), this mural is both a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation and a promise to keep the city clean. By involving these local street painters, who have been rapidly going out of business with the advent of local DTP (Desktop Publishers), St+art India Foundation aims to support this art form and restore its presence in the contemporary practice while spreading positive messages.