Kaithi (KAE-THEE), also known as Kayathi or Kayasthi, was once a widely used script in northern India but is now classified as “major extinct.” Flourishing alongside Devanagari and other major scripts, Kaithi played a significant role in administrative and literary contexts before fading from common use. Rooted in the Kayastha community—historically known as scribes—its revival is deeply tied to cultural identity, historical reclamation, and script preservation.
Script revival is a crucial act of resistance against colonial erasure, fostering cultural pride and linguistic continuity. The challenge lies in making an endangered script accessible to contemporary audiences. This poster presentation explores the role of immersive media—particularly augmented reality (AR)—in revitalizing Kaithi by bridging historical knowledge with modern digital interaction. AR enables seamless translation, allowing users to engage with Kaithi dynamically alongside Hindi and English, reducing barriers to understanding and adoption.
Designed as a bilingual, possibly tri-script experience, the poster presents the history and evolution of Kaithi while showcasing its potential integration into contemporary design systems. By leveraging interactive typography, the project envisions a future where Kaithi is not only archived but actively used, fostering a multiscript ecosystem that embraces both heritage and innovation. Through this approach, the presentation aligns with contemporary discussions on script transformation and the evolving role of technology in shaping typographic accessibility.