A KNOWLEDGE CENTRE THAT KEEPS KIDS OFF SCREEN

A children's library in New Perungalathur, founded by a US returnee, is playing its part in promoting reading habit in society

- S KUMARESAN

"FOR me, reading books has reduced my screen time significantly, and I was able to protect my eye health too," says 13-year-old V Vishwa, a Class-7 student from New Perungalathur in Chennai, and a regular visitor of Prakrith Arivagam (Prakrith Knowledge House).

In a world increasingly dominated by technology and screen time, the emergence of Prakrith Arivagam Children's Library stands as a refreshing initiative aimed at nurturing young minds through the joy of reading. Founded by Sriram Gopalan (42) in January 2023, Prakrith Arivagam is more than just a library - it's a community hub where children can engage in storytelling, creativity, and learning. Sriram's journey from a successful career in the US tech industry to founding a nonprofit library in India is a story of passion, purpose, and service to society.

Sriram, a former electronics engineer, spent over 15 years working with leading companies such as Sun Microsystems, Oracle, and AMD. After achieving financial independence, he stepped away from the corporate world, returned to India, and sought to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children by promoting reading and reducing screen time. "During my stay in the US, I witnessed a significant difference between Indian and American children. In the US, parents cultivate the habit of reading books in children at an early stage. It helps them to learn more things and become knowledgeable citizens," he recalled.