Mother Tongue Design Wins Two Blue Elephants at the 2026 Kyoorius Design Awards for P•TAL’s Rebrand

Mumbai: Mother Tongue Design (MTD) has won two Blue Elephants at the 2026 Kyoorius Design Awards across the categories ‘Integrated’ under the Design Craft track and ‘Brand Identity Refresh & Rebrand: MSME’ under the Design in Action track, for its work with P•TAL (Punjab Thathera Art Legacy) a brand bringing hand-beaten metalware back into modern homes around the world.

Mother Tongue Design’s response went beyond a new look, building a complete brand system across identity, positioning, packaging and storytelling. Since the rebrand, P•TAL has served 150,000+ customers across a footprint spanning 40+ countries, positioning Indian metalware as a design-forward lifestyle choice rather than a commodity purchase. Through its packaging, the brand has eliminated 880 kg of plastic. It now supports the livelihoods of 125+ artisan families, increasing their monthly incomes by 2350% in the last three years, strengthening the continuity of a UNESCO-recognised metalcraft tradition and enabling fairer, more sustainable incomes for craft communities.

The repositioning also delivered clear business milestones. P•TAL was selected as one of only five Indian brands to showcase at NY NOW, New York’s premier home and gift trade show, opened its first flagship store at The Chanakya in New Delhi, adjacent to DLF Emporio, and added a new Exclusive Brand Outlet in Hyderabad. In September 2025, post the rebrand, P•TAL raised $3 million in a Series-A round led by VC Grid with participation from Rainmatter, the fund backed by Zerodha’s Nithin Kamath.

Moreover, the perception of the category shifted from traditional, outdated metal cookware to a modern, health-conscious lifestyle choice. That resonated with a younger, globally aware audience seeking authenticity, wellness and design-led functionality while protecting cultural heritage through commercial viability.