A child’s first language is not merely a subject in school. It is the language of affection, curiosity, memory, and early thinking. Yet high-quality learning materials in many Indian languages remain scarce, and language learning is often reduced to rote memorization.

ఉనికి/उनिकि/UNIKI was created to change that.

Founded by word gamer, engineer, researcher, and "socio-linguist" Hareesh Viriyala, ఉనికి/उनिकि/UNIKI brings together insights from board games, linguistics, cognitive learning, game design, and classroom practice to create playful, logical, and engaging pathways into Indian languages. Our work revolves around the questions: Why should children have world-class word games and learning tools only in foreign languages?, and What all can be done to get Indian people to maximize harnessing the power in their native languages in Education and community building (eventually leading to nation building), like how developed societies in Japan, South Korea, Finland and China have done?

Today, ఉనికి/उनिकि/UNIKI develops and delivers game-based learning products, script mastery methods, classroom resources, and community programs that help children learn faster, families connect more deeply, and schools build stronger literacy foundations.

We believe that when children learn joyfully in a language that feels natural, they become not only better readers and writers, but also more confident thinkers.

(The above photo was taken at Co-Forge Public Library, Hyderabad. The telugu text is a quote by the legendary writer & poet గురజాడ అప్పారావు (गुरजाड अप्पारावु/gurajāḍa appārāvu) and reads "vidyē nijamaina dhanaṁ, dongalu dōchalēni bangāraṁ". Translation: विद्या ही असली धन है, सोना जो चोर चुरा नहीं सकते/ Only education is real money, gold that thieves cannot steal.)