Kaladhar S

Kaladhar, a Government Higher Primary school teacher from Kannamangala, Chikkaballapur district comes with years of experience in working with creative writing skills amongst his students. A very nurturing and supportive administration has recognised and promoted his efforts in the school by contributing to publishing a children’s magazine called Navilugari (peacock feather) and Shamanthi (name of a flower) a book of students’ experiences in camps that he conducted in the summer holidays. Being an avid reader and writer he has been recognised statewide for his thought provoking writings on children and their abilities to review literature.

Through this project, with a moderately equipped library in the school he will initiate small activities to cultivate thoughtful and reflective reading as a joyful and committed hobby amongst his students. He will initiate a drive to give out printed note books called ‘Nanu Odida Pustaka’ (The Book I Read) designed by him to guide children to share their thoughts on the books they have read thereby making them aware and reflective readers who are also motivated to articulate their thoughts through writing of their own. As an extension to this work, he would invite writers, artists and book designers to conduct workshops to guide children in designing their own book with their own writing and drawings for a final publication. Hoping for a successful model to emerge from this grant, he wishes to solicit continuing support from the local administration to sustain the work in the school post the grant period.

This grant was made possible with support from Goethe Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, Bangalore.