A cherished cultural artefact – the classic daily wall calendar – which was once a staple in every Indian household takes on a reimagined avatar. Called Lost & Found, it has been designed by Aakash Selvan, Jamila Habib, Sakthi Mathav and Dev Abishek from whoisthem.co, a multidisciplinary studio based in Coimbatore. It is an ode to the simple joys of each day. In the revamped version, the team has retained the core idea of the three calendars – Gregorian, Tamil, and Islamic – but with a fresh, modern twist.

One of the highlights is the reinvention of the beloved Paati Vaithiyam (Grandmother’s Wisdom) section, reimagined as ‘Paati Says’ where she cracks jokes, shares life hacks, and lovingly checks in on you every day. “Understanding the way people live today, we have redesigned the calendar as a desk-friendly version, rather than a wall-mounted one, while keeping the satisfying ritual of tearing off pages each day,” says Aakash adding that sustainability was at the forefront of the design process. “Since this was almost a 400-page calendar, we were conflicted about this idea because of the amount of paper wastage. We decided that if we were going ahead with this, we will only use recycled paper. And, we achieved it. Good design is also about taking responsibility for our planet,” he explains.

This new calendar also doubles up as a flipbook | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

This new calendar also doubles up as a flipbook, where one can watch the Cycle Anna sell various items throughout the year. “This can be a playful touch for those who enjoy a little distraction or need something to fidget,” says Sakthi who conceptualised the calendar.

From the texture and weight of the paper to the precise inclination of the stand, every detail was meticulously refined through multiple samples and prototypes | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

He adds, “Design should evolve, if not it becomes obsolete. With this calendar we have tried to bring our own ideas of how it can evolve, staying true to parts we still love about it. Redesigning a quintessential item that hasn’t changed at all in so long, was by itself a huge challenge because there wasn’t any reference to understand what might work and what might not.”

With every element, the aim was to live in the present rather than stressing over the past or future, says Aakash adding that upon re-imagining it, they also realised that while the traditional calendar had a lot of value, it couldn’t keep up with the changing landscape of design and lifestyle, and eventually found itself forgotten in drawers. “Great concepts are only the start of good design; the real impact lies in executing them effectively. From the texture and weight of the paper to the precise inclination of the stand, every detail was meticulously refined through multiple samples and prototypes,” explains Jamila, one of the co-founders.

Redesigning a quintessential calendar has been a challenging exercise | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

To celebrate through 2025 and beyond and to add value, the calendar has 396 days. Along with 365 days, there are some special pages like a fun day for Pongal, Valentines Day, May 1, April Fool’s Day etc. 

Priced at ₹599. Call or WhatsApp 7708988777 or visit their Instagram page @whoisthem.co