Sorytelling and books can be powerful tools for teaching children life lessons, empathy, and critical thinking. Instead of lecturing, they use stories to help children understand concepts like relationships, history, geography, science, and emotional intelligence. The idea is that stories help children relate to experiences and develop curiosity, comprehension, and the ability to question and interpret ideas.
Through a reading initiative called Kathathitam, Shilpa Kiranveer works with small groups of children over several months to build reading habits, vocabulary, and respectful communication. The sessions are personalized based on each child’s needs and experiences, encouraging discussion, reflection, and engagement with books rather than passive storytelling. The space is designed to be welcoming rather than intimidating, with a strong emphasis on Indian children’s literature and cultural elements.
Activities such as storytelling, theatre, art forms like Madhubani, and hands-on workshops are used to connect learning with real-life values and creativity. The aim is to go beyond academics and equip children with emotional resilience, social awareness, and a love for reading. Over the years, the speaker has collected around 10,000 books and seen gradual but meaningful changes in children, such as improved confidence, curiosity, and the habit of reading independently.
Read the full story that first appeared in The New Indian Express dated Sep 27, 2026 here:
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