Penguin Readathon and Book Gifting
Date : NA

At Penguin Random House India, we believe in the power of reading and storytelling. As part of this belief and in celebration of completing 30 years in India, we are embarking on a journey of reading sessions and library contributions to 30 spaces spanning the country. The Penguin Readathon and Book Gifting Journey covers a range of partners – from community libraries, shelter homes, informal schools, independent bookshops,organisations working with people with disabilities, an environment documentation centre, prisons and more. By partnering with these spaces, we hope to expand the reach of books and reading to diverse communities and audiences.

The partners have been selected in acknowledgement of the role they have played, and continue to play, in facilitating new and ever-expanding paths of discovery in their communities. All partners are involved in non-profit initiatives with a well-established reputation in the places they work in.

"There is no greater joy than to spread the love of reading, and Penguin's 30th anniversary theme is 'keep reading' - the mantra for the celebrations through this very special year. With this journey, we hope we will able to spread this joy to many more readers around the country." Hemali Sodhi, Senior Vice President – Marketing & Publisher – Children's Books.

The 30 partners who will join us in this celebration and help spread the joy of reading and storytelling to their communities are listed below:

100 story house, Tura
A Native Tongue Called Peace, Imphal
Artsphere, Pune
Ashray Akruti, Hyderabad
Avalokiteśvara Trust, Dharamshala
Bebook Library, Calangute, Goa
Bethany Society, Shillong
Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe, Mumbai
Broadleaf Health and Education Alliance, Darjeeling
Chhaap Foundation, Vadodara
Children's Home for Girls, Madikeri
Conflictorium, Ahmedabad
Edith Wilkins Street Children Trust, Darjeeling
Go Book Bank, Bengaluru
Hippocampus, Bengaluru
Loktantrashala School for Democracy,Bhim
Noida Deaf Society, Noida
Pratidhwani, project in prisons in Assam
R&R, Mumbai
Rachna Bookstore, Gangtok
Studio Nilima, Guwahati
The Community Library Project, Delhi
The Den@ThinkArts, Kolkata
The Green Hub, Tezpur
The Pocket Company, Dharamshala
TIFA Working Studios, Pune
Transforming M-Ward Project, Mumbai
Walking Bookfairs, Orissa
Writer's Cafe, Chennai
You & I - Arts Café,Shillong

The partners have expressed enthusiasm for the Penguin Readathon and Book Gifting Journey. Though they have diverse focus areas and audiences, they are united by a common love for storytelling. Abantee Dutta, director of Studio Nilima, a resource centre which works at the intersections of law, governance, culture, and society in Guwahati, says that this collaboration is about "unshackling a world of visions and dreams."

Another partner, Jemimah Marak, the founder the 100 Story House, a children's library and reading room in Tura which promotes reading and storytelling for children, says, "This initiative provides a chance for children here to experience the joy of reading good literature."Rupali Gupte, an architect who runs R&R, a cultural centre located amid the resettlement and rehabilitation colonies of Lallubhai Compound in Mumbai, says, "Thanks, Penguin, for this wonderful gift! This will go a long way in firing and nourishing the life of the mind for hundreds of kids."

DPK Babu, Director of Ashray Akruti an NGO working with hearing impaired children from underprivileged backgrounds, says, "Developing reading habits in children with hearing impairment is very challenging. Ashray Akruti is extremely delighted to be associated with this initiative, and we congratulate Penguin for taking up this noble initiative of donating books to children in charitable organisations."

Raman Shresta, proprietor of Rachna Books, an independent bookstore in Gangtok, says, "In this day and age, when there is so much bonding between publishers and online retail portals, it is wonderful to witness Penguin India reach out to the "old fashioned" medium of booksellers, libraries, and spaces that are dedicated to bringing books and reading to the communities they belong to." Priyanka Patel, coordinator at the Bebook Library in Goa, says "As a storyteller, I am constantly in need of innovative ways to make the kids fall in love with reading. I jumped at the opportunity of the Penguin Readathon. Meeting the author and receiving the Penguin books is going to boost the endeavors of the children."

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* This information is sent to e-pao.net by Penguin Random House India who can be contacted at media(DOT)khublei(AT)gmail(DOT)com
This Post is webcasted on November 17 2017