Redesign of Indian Games: A Case Study of Traditional Indian Games Gilli Danda (Tip Cat) and Gatte ka Khel (Game of Five Stones)

Abstract

According to the National Productivity Council of India report released in 2017, Indian toy and game manufacturers serve only 20% of the Indian market, with the rest being served by imports mainly from China and Italy. It is because of a wider variety of toys and games available at lower prices and the design aspects to attract the children. As consumption behavior of the people is changing, who are using toys as a medium for entertainment and education, the toy industry in India is looking for a major upward growth. India has a rich heritage of indigenous toys and outdoor games that aimed at teaching kids not just the dynamics of play but help with cognitive and physical development. However, in today’s digital age, these toys and games have lost their existence. In this scenario, the designer has a major role to play by redesigning the obsolete Indian toys and games into viable and marketable products that would appeal to the children today. This paper illustrates the process of redesign and branding of obsolete Indian toys and games for the modern context through the help of product design methods and design for marketability approach. Various aspects were considered for redesigning such as the behavior and preferences, the esthetics that appeal to kids, and complexity of the game that drives the engagement over time and toy safety regulations prescribed by Center for Consumer Studies of India. Two Indian games—Gilli Danda (Tip Cat) and Gatte ka Khel (Game of five stones) were selected based on their health and educational benefits and redesigned to suit the sensibilities of kids of today’s generation. The final concept was selected based on the criteria prescribed by the play heuristics. This paper contributes to the revival of old Indian games in a new form for the growth of Indian toy industry.