Sukirti Joshi, 60 · Lucknow.“Only this: that I would give this child all the happiness in the world.”
यही कि इसे मैं दुनिया भर की खुशियां दूंगी। जितना भी बन पड़ेगा, जितना भी हो सकेगा सब दूंगी इसे मैं। हर तरह से ख्याल रखूंगी। खूब पढ़ाऊँगी, लिखाऊँगी। बस यही thoughts थे।
Only this: that I would give this child all the happiness in the world. Whatever I could manage, whatever was possible, I would give. I would take care in every way. I would educate this child well. Those were the only thoughts I had.
For their 25th or 50th anniversary, keep the stories only they can tell.
Alfaaz is a gift for a 25th or 50th anniversary: their life stories, told on WhatsApp in their own voice, in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Bengali, Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi, or Indian English, with no app and no account. You set it up today and pick the day and the hour. Nothing reaches them before then. On the day, you send them a letter, and their first voice note wishes them and asks the first question. Each story is written down in their own words, with their voice beside it. Nothing is paid at setup. After their first story, you choose their plan: First Chapters, $61 once, or The Whole Story, $171 once, which ends in their printed hardcover. Nothing renews.
On their anniversary: a letter from you, then a voice note that wishes them and asks their first question.
From $61, or $171 with their printed book. One payment, after their first story.
17 of the 22 elders in our study came back on another day with another story. Read the study
The day, hour by hour
On 14 March, at 08:00 in Pune, they get a letter from you.
Today
You give one parent's name, language and WhatsApp number, then pick the day and the hour: 08:00, or midnight for the wish. The other parent can join later.
Until the day
Nothing reaches them. You get a letter to send them, in their language, and a card to print if you give it by hand.
On the day, at the hour
You send the letter from your own WhatsApp. At the hour, we remind you by email.
When they say hello
Their first voice note wishes them and asks the first question. Their answer is kept in their own voice, for you to hear that day.
One question at a time, in their own words.
After the day
Not a thing you bought. A lifetime of stories.
An anniversary is a story with two tellers. Begin with one, and the other can join on the same plan: both voices, side by side in one book.
1
Their stories, written down
Every story becomes a chapter in their own words, from the very first one, for the whole family to read.
2
Their voice, beside each one
Each chapter keeps the voice note it came from, so your family hears them, not only reads them.
3
Letters to their door
Printed letters of their story are posted to them: two on First Chapters, and one every few weeks on The Whole Story.
4
Their book
The Whole Story ends in their printed hardcover, handcrafted and delivered, with their audiobook in their own voice.
Before you give it
Will they do it?
No app, no account, nothing to learn: only WhatsApp, which their phone already has. One question at a time, by voice, in their language, at their own pace. A reply of STOP ends every message.
12 of the 22 elders in our study had five or more story sessions, and the longest ran 26 sessions over 129 days (March to July 2026). Read the study
Why not just call them?
A call ends, and the story goes with it. Here the questions are the ones nobody thinks to ask, asked with patience, and every answer is kept: their voice, their words written down, and the next question, which follows from what they said.
96% of the 92 conversations scored in our study were rated moving or deeper. Read the study
Before you decide
Who is behind Alfaaz
The founders
Pulkit Mendiratta and Shivli Gupta, building Alfaaz in Amsterdam.
Shaadi ki saalgirah ki bahut bahut badhai! Yeh aapke liye mera tohfa hai.
Apne phone ke camera se yeh code scan kijiye. WhatsApp mein "Namaste" likha milega, bas bhej dijiyega.
Priya
“Happy anniversary! This is my gift to you.” In their language.
On the day
The card they get.
A letter from you, in their language, that you send from your own WhatsApp on the day. It ends with one line for the day. Giving it by hand? Print it as a card, with a code to scan from their own phone: the hello goes to Alfaaz, and their first question comes back.
Questions about the gift
What do I pay, and when?
Nothing at setup. After their first story, you choose their plan: First Chapters, $61 once for four months, or The Whole Story, $171 once until their book is done, with their printed hardcover. One payment, and nothing renews. A second parent adds $40 on First Chapters or $110 on The Whole Story, in one shared book.
When does the gift reach them?
On the day and at the hour you pick, on their clock: 08:00 in the morning, or midnight for the wish. Nothing reaches them before then. On the day, you send them a letter from your own WhatsApp, and at the hour we remind you by email. When they say hello, their first voice note wishes them and asks the first question, in their language. If they have not said hello 24 hours after your letter, Alfaaz writes first.
What do they hear on their anniversary?
A warm anniversary wish in their own language, and one gentle question: the day they met the person they married, and how the two of them began.
How far ahead can I set it up?
Up to a year ahead, or for today. A 60th, 70th or 80th birthday, or a 50th anniversary, is often planned months ahead: set it up now, and nothing reaches them before the day you pick.
Will they know before the day?
No. Nothing reaches them until the day, and the first message is your own letter. The surprise stays whole.
Can one gift cover both parents?
Yes. You set up one parent first, and the other joins on the same plan: $40 more on First Chapters, or $110 more on The Whole Story, with one shared book. Each answers on their own WhatsApp number, in their own language.
Does my parent need to register or install anything?
No. Your parent does not need to create an account or install an app. They only need WhatsApp, which they already open every day. A voice note arrives, and they reply when they feel like it.
Can I choose which language Alfaaz speaks to them in?
Yes. During setup you choose one language for them. Live choices are Hindi, Indian English, Marathi, Telugu, Bengali, Tamil, Gujarati, and Punjabi. Hindi/Hinglish code-mixing and family terms are expected.
Is it right for my parent?
It fits a parent or grandparent who opens WhatsApp every day and would rather talk than type. It does not fit an elder who does not use WhatsApp, a family that wants a typed question book, or memory care: Alfaaz is a memoir service, not a medical or dementia tool.
Can I gift Alfaaz to a grandparent, not just a parent?
Yes. Alfaaz works for any elder in your family: parents, grandparents, great-aunts and uncles. One family account can hold more than one elder, each with their own language and conversation thread.
What if they do not want to continue?
Replying STOP to any message stops all messages at once, and simply not replying is always okay: Alfaaz never pressures an elder. Families can also pause future questions, and recorded conversations stay in the family archive unless the family asks us to delete them.
Is there anything physical to give?
On the day, a letter from you, and a card you can print, with a code to scan and say hello. After that, printed letters of their story are posted to their door: two on First Chapters, one every few weeks on The Whole Story, which also ends in their printed hardcover.
Is Alfaaz a subscription?
No. Each plan is one payment, and nothing renews. When the term ends, new conversations stop. Everything already gathered stays yours to read and listen to, for good.
Will our family stories train AI models?
No. Alfaaz does not use your family's voice notes, transcripts, or stories to train AI models, and we do not sell stories for advertising.
