Through the lens of typography, the author, a type and graphic designer, illustrates the progress of Meitei Mayek since its revival, both locally and globally, while addressing challenges and opportunities for local communities and global communication.
Following a dormancy of nearly three centuries, the Meitei Mayek script—officially reintroduced into Manipur’s educational curriculum in 2005–06—marks the revival of a cultural identity long expressed through the Bengali script. Local initiatives to teach Meitei Mayek in schools, colleges, and training centers have driven steady adoption and significantly contributed to its resurgence. Over the past two decades, a new generation that began learning the script in 2005 has advanced to the Master’s level, marking a key milestone.
However, the revival has sparked intergenerational and inter-community challenges. Older generations, accustomed to the Bengali script, struggle to connect with younger generations proficient in Meitei Mayek, creating a linguistic divide. Furthermore, positioning Meitei Mayek as Manipur’s primary script—transitioning from Bengali—has deepened divisions with hill communities using the Latin script, highlighting the need for a cohesive multi-script design framework integrating Latin, Bengali, and Meitei Mayek.
A major barrier to the script’s adoption is the lack of technical expertise to represent Meitei Mayek in digital spaces, hindering local and global communication. This presentation emphasizes the importance of integrating marginalized scripts like Meitei Mayek into digital platforms to promote inclusive communication. It traces the script’s historical journey, modern revival, and future potential, underscoring the need to democratize effective typographic expression to preserve cultural identity and enhance linguistic accessibility.