HPS girl receives PM's applause

City girl Akarshana Satish, an 11-year-old avid bibliophile, on Sunday was overjoyed upon receiving praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme, for collecting 5,800 books and setting up seven libraries to promote the habit of reading.

"I am overjoyed by the Prime Minister's gesture. His words will forever remain etched in my heart and serve as an encouragement to many others like me to do our best for the nation," said Akarshana, a student of Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet.

Tracing the start of Akarshana’s journey, her father Satish Kumar J. said: "In 2021, we visited the MNJ Cancer Children Hospital to provide food and support to young patients. We met children who yearned for colouring books to pass their time and find solace during their hospital stays. This simple request ignited a spark in Akarshana, and she embarked on a mission to gather books for those in need."

He said that her efforts attracted donations, in large numbers, from their neighbours, residents of nearby apartments, classmates and relatives. "Her dedication and fervour were infectious, prompting her community to join her cause eagerly. In no time, Akarshana had amassed a staggering 5,800-odd used books," he said.

The first library Akarshana set up was at the MNJ Cancer Children Hospital, where it provided much-needed comfort and



distraction to young patients.

She then went on to set up similar facilities, at the Sanathnagar police station, Gayathrinagar association in Borabanda, Juvenile and Observation Home for Girls, and street libraries in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore with the help of Coimbatore police. She established a library for the Chennai Boys’ Club in the Nolambur police station, in Tamil Nadu.

On August 5, 2023, she set up her most recent library, the seventh, comprising 610 books, which was formally inaugurated by minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav.

Besides the praise from the Prime Minister, she has received letters and words of appreciation from Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, former Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, IT minister K.T. Rama Rao, DGP Anjani Kumar and Tamil Nadu DGP Dr Sylendra Babu.

Akarshana's vision goes beyond just providing books; she believes that these libraries will inspire people, especially children, to read more frequently. "I am confident that increased reading will expand one’s knowledge base and have a lasting positive impact on individuals and the community at large," she told 

She hopes to open three more libraries in the next two months. When not reading, she said she enjoys learning to code and cycling. She hopes to be a space scientist in the future.