New York: Mumbai-based collaborative type design studio Ek Type has secured the Best of Type Design distinction at the prestigious TDC71 global competition, hosted by the Type Directors Club—the world’s foremost organization dedicated to typography.
The award recognizes Ek Type’s exceptional work on the typeface “Naatak”, which was unveiled at a special winners’ exhibition during The One Club for Creativity’s Creative Week 2025 in New York.
Ek Type’s acclaimed project will be featured prominently in the TDC Typography 46 Annual: The World’s Best Typography®, alongside exclusive commentary from this year’s global jury—comprising renowned industry professionals—on why the work stood out.
In addition to Ek Type, the other Best of Discipline winners include:
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Best of Communication Design: “New York City FC Branding” by Gretel Brooklyn and Frere-Jones Type Brooklyn for New York City Football Club.
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Best of Lettering: “Stanford d.School Yearbook 2023” by Daniel Frumhoff Design New York for Stanford University d.School.
This year’s competition saw a total of 170 Certificates of Typographic Excellence awarded across three categories—104 in Communication Design, 37 in Type Design, and 29 in Lettering—with entries spanning 26 countries. Notable winners included Pentagram New York (7 wins), The New York Times Magazine (6 wins), and Typotheque The Hague (5 wins).
The TDC71 Jury Presidents were:
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Min Lew, ECD, Base Design, New York (Communication Design)
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David Jon Walker, Principal, Rhealistic, Yale University (Lettering)
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Sahar Afshar, Type Designer and Founding Partner, Dogray Type Foundry, London (Type Design)
All TDC71 honorees receive Certificates of Typographic Excellence and digital seals, and their work will be part of eight international exhibitions hosted by museums, design schools, and creative organizations worldwide.
For Ek Type, this latest recognition affirms its growing stature as a global force in contemporary type design, bringing Indian narratives to life through innovative typography.
