VARANASI: “Mujhe kahaniyon ki kitaben padhana achha lagta hai, main apni maa ko bhi kahaniyan padh kar sunata hun (I love reading storybooks, I also read out stories to my mother),” said a smiling Chandan, a physically challenged Class IV student who is excited that he is to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and share his reading experience with him when he visits his primary school in Naraur village on Monday.Once a shy boy who spoke only Bhojpuri and was reluctant to go to school because he knew no other language, Chandan today is full of confidence. Now, he happily rides about 2km to school daily on his hand tricycle.“My favourite books are Chatur Chuha and Buddhu Bandar. I also get books issued from the library to read out stories to my mother because she cannot read,” he said.Chandan gives all credit for this metamorphosis to his school’s “Room to Read”, an initiative to inculcate the habit of reading among schoolchildren. The print-rich library set up by “Room to Read” made him want to learn a new language, Hindi , through which a world of stories opened up. Like Chandan, all 76 children at this school love to read storybooks, and the “Room to Read” library, which has about 1,000 storybooks, has become their favourite place.Head teacher Chandrawati Sharma said the children are excited about sharing their experiences with PM Modi.“Room to Read”, in partnership with the government, has set up libraries in 580 primary schools in Varanasi, said communications head Sanjay Singh.

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