13-Year-Old Girl Sets Up 18 Libraries to Promote Reading Habit
Hyderabad: The love for reading is fading, with many people today preferring to watch short, trivial videos instead of immersing themselves in books. To tackle this trend and encourage a reading culture, especially among children, a brave 13-year-old girl from Hyderabad, Akarshana Sathish, has achieved an extraordinary feat. She has set up 18 libraries across Telangana and Tamil Nadu and has plans to establish even more in the near future.
Akarshana’s journey began with a passion for literature and a strong desire to give back to her community. She started by collecting used books from her apartment complex, neighbors, classmates, and relatives. With her collection, she launched her first library at MNJ Cancer Children Hospital, stocking it with 1,046 books.
Her mission gained momentum when like-minded individuals joined her cause, donating over 12,000 books. This allowed her to establish 17 more libraries. Her second library, with 829 books, was set up at Sanath Nagar Police Station. The third, with 625 books, was placed at the Juvenile and Observation Home for Girls in Hyderabad. Other libraries followed, including one at the Gayathri Nagar Association in Borabanda and another at the Government High School in Sanath Nagar. Akarshana also worked to provide libraries at facilities such as the Coimbatore City Police Street Library, the Chennai Boys Club in Nolambur Police Station, and several orphanages and women’s shelters. Recently, her 18th library was opened at Sai Seva Sangh Girls Home in Moosapet, stocked with 805 books.
These libraries feature a variety of books, ranging from general knowledge to fiction, non-fiction, autobiographies, and children’s literature. They are available in multiple languages, including Telugu, Hindi, and English, making them accessible to a broader audience.
When speaking to The Hans India, Akarshana, an 8th-grade student, shared her inspiration. “My main goal is to encourage people to develop a reading habit. Nowadays, people are glued to their mobile phones instead of books. By setting up libraries in various areas, I hope especially the youth will pick up a book and start reading,” she said.
Her journey began during the Covid-19 pandemic when she and her parents visited MNJ Cancer Children Hospital to distribute food. “While we were there, some children requested coloring books. Seeing their interest moved me to tears, and I thought, why not create libraries across the city for them? That’s how my journey began,” she explained.
However, Akarshana faced numerous challenges. “Initially, many people mocked my idea, saying it would fail because no one reads books anymore. But their doubts motivated me to prove them wrong. With the help of kind-hearted individuals, including retired government officers who donated Telugu books, I was able to achieve my goal,” she shared.
Akarshana also received significant support from humanitarian Chandrashekar Rao, who provided a storage space in his factory godown at IDA Jeedimetla. Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi contributed 2,000 general knowledge books from his personal collection, giving her mission a significant boost.
Looking ahead, Akarshana has ambitious plans. She aims to set up a library at Rashtrapati Nilayam in Bolarum. She is also working on an innovative project in collaboration with L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad and the National Book Trust, Delhi. The idea is to create “Metro libraries,” where passengers can borrow books from one station and return them at another, encouraging reading during their daily commute.
The first Metro library is set to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy in January 2025. This initiative aims to transform daily travel into an opportunity for learning and leisure, further cementing Akarshana’s vision of promoting a culture of reading in modern, creative ways.
Akarshana Sathish’s inspiring mission is a testament to how one young individual’s determination and creativity can create meaningful social change.
