Karnataka CM launches Kathe Chikkappa as a tribute to state's librarians

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah officially launched Kathe Chikkappa (story uncle) on National Librarians Day on Monday as a tribute to the efforts of Karnataka’s gram panchayat librarians.

According to a press release, these panchayat librarians have transformed 5,900 rural libraries for children and launched 6,599 new rural libraries to serve about 480,000 children across the state.

Kathe Chikkappa is a delightful story about a librarian who brought the magic of stories to the children of his grama (village) through read-aloud sessions.

"Though Ambedkar made education a constitutional right, even after 78 years of independence, we haven’t eradicated illiteracy. Superstitious beliefs should be replaced by scientific thinking. We can find answers only with knowledge. I’m very happy that more than 48 lakh children are enrolled in the rural libraries today,“ said the Chief Minister.

The library transformation initiative is part of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department's "Oduva Belaku" (Light of Reading) programme started in 2020, which aims to reconnect children with the joy of reading and ensures that "no child is left out."

Through this initiative, the libraries are rebranded as "Arivu Kendras" (centres of knowledge), offering free memberships to children and providing inclusive spaces equipped with books, computers, and smart TVs. These librarians are seen as changemakers driving the read-aloud programme in rural libraries.

"Now, children spend lots of time at the library, either playing, reading, waiting for the time for a read-aloud session, or post-session activities. I can accommodate over 30 children per session, held twice a week, thanks to the vast library space. I want to inspire other librarians with my work and children to use this space to develop strong literacy skills," said Appasaheb Patil, a librarian from Nippani Taluk, Belagavi district.

The programme collaborates with civil society organisations, including Pratham Books, Azim Premji Foundation, Shikshana Foundation, Kalike Trust, CMCA, Yuva Chintana Foundation, India Literacy Project, and Adhyayan Foundation, to create child-friendly environments where they can engage in reading, creative activities, and community events.

"Story Chikkappa stands for the work of all the librarians who have been working over the years, and especially in the last three years, in reviving our library movement... We now have more than 45 lakh children enrolled in the programme. We have close to 1.4 million books donated in addition to the work of the panchayats in providing furniture, bean bags, etc.," said Uma Mahadevan-Dasgupta, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, who spearheaded the Oduva Belaku programme.