what sparked the idea?
We haven’t lived in India for almost two decades now. But it’s still home. We visit 3-4 times a year and maintain deep cultural ties with friends and family, through a shared history, language and customs. Our roots were something we took for granted ... until we had kids.
Our three-year-old understands a bit of Hindi (and sings along to Diljit Dosanjh). Does she speak either Hindi or Punjabi? NEVER!
We tried so hard. But every time we engaged with Hindi books, rhymes or toys, we time-travelled back to the 1920s. Everything felt dated, a bit tacky, and very often utterly irrelevant to our daily lives.
Seriously, when was the last time you used ‘aushadhi ' in conversation? And the stories have some interesting plot twists that may not always reflect today’s societal norms.
what we're building
We are blending science, creativity and culture to design toys and games that introduce diaspora kids to their heritage language.
Why diaspora kids? Learning a language is easiest when it surrounds you. But if you live outside India, it’s unlikely to be your heritage language. So diaspora kids need unconventional thinking, extra thought, and lots of love to make language learning fun—not a chore.
We want kids to intuitively embrace their heritage language by building natural connections to their everyday world. Most (Indian language) bilingual toys stick to the alphabet and copy-paste the past. We want to do things differently. So we’re thinking hard about what learning a heritage language means from a child’s perspective, layering in language acquisition, neuroplasticity, and pedagogical science.
What do they see and hear in their earliest months? What are the first sounds they start babbling and cooing to? What words will they always associate with home and family -- and which ones will they never use?
We’re also thinking about parent-child interactions. So we’re building for what parents need in those little moments—at home, in the car, at bedtime—to spark tiny interactions in their heritage languages and enable learning by osmosis. There will be time enough for iPad screens and dopamine hits later. We’re being intentional about crafting old-school toys and books that foster simple physical intimacy and playful discovery for curious little hearts, minds, and hands.
And because we’re building things we hope the kids will love, we’re prepared to be chewed, gnawed and pawed. All our products are made in India, in line with EN 71 (EU) and ASTM F963 (USA) safety standards.
why this matters
Having studied, lived and worked across three continents, we know what it takes to put down roots in a new world -- or dig deep to re-engage with the world we came from.
A strong cultural identity will help our little ones grow and nurture their roots. That clarity will help them confidently shape where they want to, and will go — on their terms
what happens next
We’ve got top-tier business experience, ideas, enthusiasm, and energy. We’ve got production blueprints and creative briefs.
What we need are your stories, wishlists, and experiences.
Let us know if you have time to chat. We’d love to share details about our upcoming products and get your thoughts. If you don’t have time for coffee (or Zoom), the survey will be a great help. Email works spectacularly well, too!
Tell your friends.
We need data points, cool ideas, good vibes, and big love ❤️
Also. Check out our blog.
We're documenting our adventures through entrepreneurship, science, and parenthood. It’s way more entertaning than an MBA ;)