Given the small number of graphologists and professionally certified handwriting experts in India, their services are in high demand, writes Indra Gidwani (Mumbai)

“There’s a great future for graphologists and handwriting experts in India. People are becoming increasingly aware that hand-writing analysis is not a mystical craft but a science which uncovers an individual’s personality. Development of this science has opened up new career avenues for handwriting analysis professionals and experts who are very much in demand for written reports which determine forgery and fraud cases. HRD managers in corporate India are also availing their services to learn about the character and personalities of top managers,’’ says Dr. Parag Khatri, a practising dental surgeon who is also a graphologist and hand-writing expert.

For new age professionals not averse to multi-tasking, a second career as a graphologist (hand-writing analyst) — as exemplified by Dr. Khatri — offers interesting possibilities. Graphology is the science of understanding the human mind including the sub-conscious, through study of hand-writing. A trained graphologist takes five minutes to interpret handwriting and detect 50 character traits including personal characteristics, relationship compatibility, professional and financial competence.

Typical clients of graphologists include curious individuals, managers solving corporate fraud cases and making recruitment decisions, career counselors, detectives, teachers and individuals seeking insights into their prospective spouses’ emotional character prior to arranged marriages — a big market in India. Doctors, especially homeopaths rather than practitioners of allopathy, tend to rely on graphology as this branch of medicine focusses more on root causes rather than symptoms of ailments. 
A handwriting expert differs from a graphologist in that the former confirms whether a particular handwritten document is authentic. She doesn’t necessarily read personality traits from handwriting.

Most people take up handwriting analysis as a hobby. When captivated by the craft and its accuracy, they sign up for informal classes where they are tutored in the science. Certificate courses are offered as part-time or weekend programmes by institutes such as the World School of Grapho Education & Therapy, Mumbai, the Institute of Graphology and Personal Success, Pune, and the Indo-American Institute of Graphology, Mumbai. The Handwriting University, USA offers widely acclaimed online certification programmes. Individuals aspiring to qualify as handwriting experts are advised to sign up for the university’s  two-year online programme of documents examination.

Given the small numbers of qualified graphologists and professionally certified handwriting experts in India, their services are in high demand. Currently analysts and experts earn around Rs.20,000 per month working part-time, and more if they publicise their services. For individuals who wish to make full-time careers in this profession, take home earnings could average between Rs.25,000-50,000 per month.

“Handwriting analysts are in great demand to conduct study programmes for clubs, colleges and professional institutes among others. They are often hired for events and parties, where they can entertain guests with their talent. Professional handwriting analysts who have scaled up their skills, assist psychologists in understanding their patients more thoroughly. Moreover, experts are much sought after for their written opinion in cases of forgery and fraud,” says Dr. Khatri.

Apart from practising dentistry and lecturing on the subject in a private dental college in Mumbai, Dr. Khatri was certified as a handwriting analyst by The Handwriting University, USA in 2004 and later as a handwriting expert by the International School of Forensic Documentation Examination, USA in 2009.

“I’m proud of my parallel professions of graphology and handwriting analysis. I’ve been working in this field since 2000 and have trained thousands of people to become graphologists. I also advise corporate HRD managers in their recruitment processes. Moreover, I’m a director of the World School of Grapho Education & Therapy which trains people and offers handwriting analysis courses and certification. The school is well respected globally and over the past decade, we have trained and certified thousands of people,” says Khatri, who is also administrative director of the Indian chapter of the International School of Forensic Documentation Examination, USA, and life member of the Forensics Development Society, India.

A dentistry postgraduate of Mumbai University through the Nair Dental College (class of 1996), Dr. Khatri is a busy and widely respected dentist in India’s commercial capital. However handwriting analysis is a labour of love. “I make the time for my parallel profession. While dentistry is my bread and butter, handwriting is my passion. Dentistry gives me creative satisfaction whereas graphology gives me the intellectual pleasure of understanding people by studying their handwriting,” says Khatri.
Just as well that this contribution is typed, and not handwritten.