READ India

13/01/2026

🌟 GM–PM Connect: Voices of Grassroots Change 🌟

The GM–PM Connect brought together Gram Mitrs and Pragati Mitrs for a day of reflection, shared learning and recognition under our CSR-supported community engagement programme.

The gathering became a space to celebrate key learnings and best practices, and to witness the inspiring “Change Makers in Action” session, where frontline change makers brought real community stories to life , sharing challenges, solutions and achievements through creative presentations.

Conversations then turned toward the future, shaping direction on strategic priorities, volunteering initiatives, social entitlements and community wellness, reaffirming a collective vision for stronger, more resilient communities.

⭐️Ms. Chanchal (Gram Mitr) and Mr. Yogendra (Pragati Mitr) were honoured as Best Gram Mitr and Best Pragati Mitr, in recognition of their exceptional grassroots impact.⭐️

🌿 The day concluded with appreciation, renewed energy, and a shared commitment to advancing community-led development and sustainable social change. 🌿

29/11/2025

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18/11/2025

⭐️Celebrating a Legacy of Impact ⭐️

A moment of immense pride unfolded as Dr. Geeta Malhotra, CEO, READ India, was honoured as the Regional Winner (South) at the Forbes India – We Serve India Awards Season 2, presented by Lions Clubs International, a prestigious recognition celebrating the nation’s most inspiring social change leaders.

Awarded in the category of Women-led Social Innovation, Dr. Malhotra was recognised for her visionary leadership in pioneering community-owned libraries and learning centres that have transformed the educational and social landscape of rural India. Her belief in community stewardship and women’s leadership has strengthened villages, nurtured resilience and inspired hope across generations.

At the ceremony held in Visakhapatnam on 3rd November 2025, Dr. Malhotra reflected on her journey, shared that true innovation begins when communities take ownership of their future and that our role is only to ignite the spark but it is the people who carry the light forward.
🌟Her dedication, compassion and unwavering commitment continue to shape the way rural communities access knowledge, opportunities and empowerment. 🌟

20/10/2025

🌟 Happy Deepawali! 🌟

This Deepawali, we celebrate the power of light — the light of learning, inclusion, and shared progress.

🪔Happy Deepawali from the READ India family!

16/10/2025

🌿✨Strengthening Rural Connect in Aurangabad, Maharashtra✨🌿

READ India has established a strong presence across 55 villages in Aurangabad district through its 4 Community Libraries and Resource Centers. These centers serve as vibrant hubs for education, skill development, community engagement and holistic development.

🌟Till date, READ India has successfully reached 13,440 women, youth and school going children through various skill-based training programs, health awareness initiatives and education-focused activities, enabling them to enhance their knowledge, confidence and livelihoods.🌟

Additionally, READ India has extended its support to over 35 Zilla Parishad Schools through multiple development and infrastructure initiatives. These include the construction of sanitation facilities, donation of IT infrastructure, installation of water purification units for access to clean drinking water, sanitary pad vending machines, solar energy plants, school renovation projects and health awareness programs for students and teachers.

🌳In pursuit of a sustainable and green environment, READ India has also contributed to environmental conservation by planting more than 15,000 saplings that would grow with constant nurturing and care by the community members over the coming years. 🌳

Through these multifaceted efforts, READ India continues to strengthen rural education, promote health and hygiene, empower women and youth, and foster sustainable community development in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

09/10/2025

🌟Champions of Change: Gram Mitrs & Pragati Mitrs Empowering Communities🌟
Change begins with people who step forward to help others. In the Integrated Community Engagement Programme (CSR supported by Amazon), this role is carried forward by our Gram Mitrs and Pragati Mitrs who are the champions of development ensuring that communities access livelihood opportunities, food security and social security.

In 4 States of the nation and covering 40 villages, our 9 Gram Mitrs act as trusted friends. They organise Yojana Melas where people enrol in social security schemes, and Samridhi Melas for Amazon associates that give them and their families timely and convenient access to a basket of government schemes with long-term benefits. Alongside these, they run awareness drives on livelihood and food security so that no household is left behind. Each Gram Mitr supports nearly 800 people every month - impacting more than 86,400 rural lives each year.

In 4 States of the nation covering 39 towns and cities, our 6 Pragati Mitrs respond to equally pressing challenges. They conduct Samridhi Melas and awareness programmes to connect urban families with essential entitlements, while also helping community members join Amazon Flex as delivery partners, opening new avenues for income and empowerment. Each Pragati Mitr reaches around 1,000 people every month - changing the lives of over 72,000 urban beneficiaries annually.

⭐️ Together, our Gram Mitrs and Pragati Mitrs are empowering more than 1,46,000 people every year. This translates into families with food security, youth with career pathways, farmers with better livelihoods, elders with pensions and dignity and communities with greater resilience.

🌱Beyond these numbers lie powerful stories and these moments remind us that the work of our Mitrs is not just about enrolling in scheme - it’s about building futures. From the fields of rural India to the streets of urban settlements, our Mitrs are bridging gaps, unlocking opportunities, and ensuring development reaches the last mile. Their dedication, compassion and persistence are what make this programme truly impactful.🌱

02/10/2025

26/09/2025

☀️Advancing Livelihoods through Skill Development.☀️

🌿 “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller. 🌿

On 22nd September 2025, READ India, with the support of Perfetti Van Melle India, proudly inaugurated the Vocational Skilling Centre in Wazirabad, Gurugram under Pariश्रम Kaushal programme.

The centre will equip women and youth with practical trainings in Beauty & Wellbeing, Digital Skills & Advanced Excel, Nursery Teacher’s Training and Soft Skills, opening doors to confident, independent and sustainable livelihoods.

🌟The event was graced by Mr. Krishna Gupta – CEO, Perfetti Van Melle India, Ms. Monica Mor, Dr. Geeta Malhotra – CEO, READ India, and Ms. Smita Rai – Director, Partnerships & Resource Mobilisation, READ India, who joined hands with the community to celebrate this milestone.🌟

The inauguration featured inspiring addresses, an engaging training room tour, powerful stories of transformation from participants and vibrant cultural performances, reflecting the spirit of growth, resilience and empowerment.

्रमKaushal

24/09/2025

🌟Occupational Safety and Health: Reaching the Last Mile🌟

Safety matters everywhere — at work, at home, and within our communities. It’s a global concern that calls for collective action.

At OSH India 2025 (16–18 Sept, Bombay Exhibition Centre), South Asia’s largest Occupational Safety and Health event, experts shared knowledge, policies, and practices to strengthen a culture of safety.

🌿This year, we at READ India were proud to join as the unique NGO Partner, bringing a perspective often overlooked: how occupational safety goes beyond industries and into rural communities, where risks are higher and resources more limited.

For us, safety also means mental health, resilience, and recovery. From workplace accidents to natural disasters, the human impact can be long-lasting and addressing it requires counselling, education, and strong community support.

✨The way forward lies in partnerships among Industry, Government, NGOs, Academia, and Communities, working together to ensure occupational safety and health, truly reach the last mile.

15/08/2025

🇮🇳 Happy Independence Day! 🇮🇳

This Independence Day, we honour the courage, sacrifice, and vision that shaped our nation — and recommit to building a future where every child, youth, and woman has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

Let’s carry forward the legacy of courage, resilience, and unity, and inspire the next generation through knowledge, skills, and community action.

04/08/2025

⭐️OSH India at READ India's 3-Day Workshop on Skilling Through Libraries!

As part of READ India’s vibrant three-day workshop on empowering women and skilling through community libraries, an eye-opening session was led by the OSH India team.

With team members from across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi in attendance, the session brought to light the critical importance of workplace safety, awareness, and practical protection measures for vulnerable workers — especially in rural contexts.

🌟Key highlights of the OSH India session:
🟢Understanding the basics of Occupational Safety and Health
🟢Raising awareness of entitlements for women and informal workers
🟢Discussing real-world challenges faced by rural workers — and how libraries can serve as access points for safety awareness
🟢Equipping participants with actionable steps to advocate for safer, more equitable work environments in their communities

Participants shared that many women and youth commute on motorbikes or scooters in rural areas — but rarely use helmets or reflective gear, especially in the evenings when street lighting is poor. Other concerns included snake bites while working in fields, and lack of face masks or eye protection when handling dust or chemicals — all of which are everyday hazards, often overlooked.

This session added immense value to the workshop by grounding conversations on empowerment in the realities of workplace vulnerability, and reminding us that economic stability cannot be achieved without safety and dignity.

🌿Participants walked away with a renewed sense of responsibility — to use community libraries as platforms for both learning and advancing awareness on occupational safety.

✨We thank the OSH India team for their insightful contribution and look forward to building safer, more informed rural communities together.

19/07/2025

People Partnerships and Prosperity : three major pillars of SDGs leading to protect planet and bring peace.

Community Libraries in partnership with Community Leaders; visionaries and legends to serve people of their villages to learn and grow!

The two libraries of READ India, in partnership with leaders of the community in Rampura village near Srirangapatnam in Mysore and Shettihalli of Vemmagal of Kolar districts of Karnataka, meant a lot for READ India, by getting free spaces, the traditional houses, surrounded by communities who wish their children to study high, girls want to learn the skills if given opportunities, women want to help their families by learning and earning a dignified life.
Earlier, a fortnight ago, a family in Bharpur village of Fatehabad district of Haryana dedicated a huge space to open a library, a skilling unit, an early learning centre.

With books for all; newspaper for elders to read; computers with free access to Internet; early learning Center’s for children and above all an environment of peace, the outcome has to be the prosperity, with commitment for a common cause.

The best part is to visit the places, get the warm hospitality with local fresh fruits from their gardens; the local flavoured food and many helping hands to set the READ library as if something very valuable came to their village for life long and it’s for them, for their families and their children.

READ India witnesses these partnerships earlier too in Mehndipur village of Jhajjar district, Haryana in more than 150 years old Haveli; similar infrastructure in Devli village of Bharatpur district in Rajasthan and in Kingaon village of Latur district of Maharashtra.

The vision and mission are the same, the community and culture are different but values bind them together to serve their own communities. The girls and boys qualified get the opportunity to get jobs in their own villages, get respect from people whom they are serving.

From the past twenty years, this mission has become a part of life with dedicated team around India, 300 people serving and connecting more than g half a million rural population. The journey does not stop here. Connecting Communities and Empowering People; translating SDGs into action on the ground; addressing all the five pillars of SDGs is the backbone of social and economic development.

READ India has 65 such community libraries in rural India.