Long before disposable pens became common, people brought their favourite fountain pens to R Srinivasan whenever they stopped writing. They still do. Everyone fondly calls him the ‘Pen Doctor’. He is more than 70 years old and has been repairing fountain pens from his small shop near the Meenakshi Amman Temple for more than 50 years. From old models such as Pilot and Wality to newer China-made models, his collection shows how fountain pens have changed over the years. While most of us would throw away a pen that has stopped writing, Srinivasan repairs it and gives it new life.

His small shop is easy to miss if you are walking through the busy streets around the temple. But for those who still love writing with fountain pens, it’s a familiar spot.

Srinivasan learned how to fix fountain pens from his father. “I have been doing this for almost 50 years,” he says. “My father taught me everything. I learned by watching him and helping him.”

Every day, people walk into his shop with fountain pens that have stopped writing. Some have bent nibs, while others have dried-up ink or broken parts. Before repairing a pen, the Pen Doctor takes a close look at it to find out what the problem is.

“Every pen is different. Some can be repaired in a few minutes, while others take time,” he says.

Although use-and-throw pens have become common, there are still many people who prefer fountain pens. Students, teachers, office-goers and pen collectors continue to visit his shop. Some come to repair an old pen they have been using for years, while others buy fountain pens from his collection, which includes old brands as well as newer ones.

But business isn’t what it used to be. “Nowadays, most people buy a new pen if the old one stops working,” he says.

The shop is busiest when schools reopen in June, as students throng the shop.

“Some office-goers who came to my shop years ago are now retired. Even now, they come back because they still enjoy writing with fountain pens,” he says.

With a few simple tools and years of experience, he patiently cleans the pen, adjusts the nib and gets it back to writing again. For many customers, these pens remind them of their school days, a loved one or a special gift. That is why they choose to repair them instead of throwing them away.

Even though people now use computers, mobile phones and tablets for most of their writing, Srinivasan believes fountain pens will always have their own place. He fondly recalls repairing Writer pens, one of the most popular brands of its time and among the earliest fountain pens used by many people.

He says he repairs and sells a wide range of fountain pens, including Parker, Japanese, German, American Parker, C4, Swan and Waterman models. He also proudly shows a set of ‘Kalaignar’ pens, which, he says, are the same model once used by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. The pens in his collection are priced between ₹100 and ₹500.

Fountain pen collector M Balamurugan says he has been visiting Srinivasan’s shop for years. “I enjoy collecting fountain pens, and this is one of the few places where I can still find old and rare models. Every time I visit, he has something different to show. He knows almost everything about fountain pens, and that is what keeps me coming back,” he says.

Time may have changed the way people write, but it has not changed the Pen Doctor’s love for fountain pens. Every day, he continues to repair old pens with the same patience he learnt from his father, proving that some things are still worth fixing instead of replacing.

Published - August 09, 2026 06:35 pm IST