Ahead of the annual Giving Day, the India office had planned a few activities and community outreach efforts with a few of its CSR partners.
On 6 Jun 2025, a small team visited The Community Library Project’s free library in South Extension, Delhi, and interacted with some of its youngest members. The children first gathered for a lively storytelling session where volunteers read out folk tales from DK India’s very own Birds and Beasts and Mischief and Magic. The kids chimed in with questions and zany anecdotes of their own.
Adding to the fun, the young kids shaped playful clay figures of animals (including a charming interpretation of the beloved cartoon character, Doraemon) and also designed beautiful cards – in the Mithila artform from Bihar – for their loved ones.
A couple of weeks later, on 13 June, DK India organized a visit to St. Jude India’s childcare centre in Noida. The organization works with children battling cancer and other diseases and DK India has been supporting their cause for years.
On 20 June, another team visited Kitabi Dost, a free library in Tughlakabad that supports children belonging to the Dalit Jadav community. The day began with creative-writing and storytelling sessions. The kids let their imagination soar, spinning tales that were clever, thoughtful, and full of heart. A spontaneous game of charades added to the laughter, with some very animated performances and impressive guessing skills on both sides!
To our delight, the children even treated us to dance performances they had been rehearsing for their upcoming annual day. Their enthusiasm, talent, and confidence lit up the room and made the visit all the more memorable.
On 25 June, around 15 team members participated in a “Read Aloud” session conducted with our CSR partner Room to Read (RTR). Each participant read a short story book (1–2 mins duration) and recorded the video, along with a message that encourages children to read. DK India is hoping to spread the word about the importance of reading and education through these beautifully narrated stories.
A small team went to Silver Linings on 4th July. The organization has been working towards improving the lives of blind children, especially girls. The volunteers hosted a motivational storytelling session, sharing tales about pursuing dreams and overcoming obstacles. Inspired by these stories, students shared some of their dreams. The children then joined in a fun, light‑hearted quiz — and soon laughter and cheers filled the room. The energy was contagious and everyone was fully engaged.
For DK India, these events have been an opportunity to meaningfully interact with the community, share our passion for books and reading, and echo DK’s commitment to move the world (one book at a time). On to Giving Day and more such initiatives!
Volunteers: Ankita Gupta (Project Editor, Life), Bineet Kaur (Assistant Art Editor, Travel), Devina Pagay (Art Editor, Life), Alka Kumar (HoD, Finance & Operations), Geeta Bajaj (HoD, HR), Ilina Choudhary (Assistant Editor, Travel), Malavika Talukder (Creative Head, Operations), Nandan Jha (Managing Director), Nandini Desiraju (Editor, Travel), Rajoshi Chakraborty (Art Editor, Life), Shikha Mathur Patel (Manager, HR), Stuti Tiwari Bhatia (Senior Art Editor, Travel), Sumedha Chopra (Senior Picture Researcher), Dharini Ganesh (Deputy Managing Editor, Travel), Priyanka Thakur (Senior Managing Art Editor, Travel), Abhidha Lakhera (Editor, Travel), Ekta Chadha (Editor)