Lucknow, Aug 19 - It started as an exercise to improve his poor handwriting when in school and has blossomed into a unique calligraphic talent. Government official Ravi Prakash Saraswat, 50, has mastered the art of writing in 125 styles from either hand and is now eyeing the record books.

Saraswat, a resident of Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh, takes everyone by surprise when he writes in different styles with both hands.

'I love doing it. Producing different kinds of handwriting in English and Hindi has been my hobby and passion from childhood,'' Saraswat told IANS over telephone from Badaun, some 280 km from Lucknow.

'I have been practising writing in different forms for the last 35 years. It's only due to the constant practice that now I can write in 125 styles from both hands with equal ease,' he added.

Interestingly, Saraswat is adept at writing in any direction - inverted, backwards, or even from bottom upwards.