Media Release
Mangaluru, Jan 18: A quiet but meaningful step has helped strengthen reading spaces in rural schools across Dakshina Kannada, with the donation of ten high-quality cupboards to safely store storybooks and learning materials. Each cupboard now stands as a small yet steady foundation for school libraries, protecting books and allowing children to return to stories again and again.
The initiative grew from the Stories for Smiles project, a community-led effort envisioned by Lyvia Cardoza, founder of Moms of Mangalore Trust. What began as mothers coming together to share storybooks within their own community slowly grew into a shared dream, with books lovingly collected and stored in a small showcase, waiting for new hands to open them and young readers to discover their magic. The belief was simple: stories should never lie forgotten; they should travel, be touched, and be read.
Recognising the need to give this effort direction and continuity, Nehru Chinthana Kendra, Mangalore University, extended its support to shape the initiative into a sustainable rural outreach programme. The collaboration was guided by K Raju Mogaveera, KAS, former registrar, Mangalore University and director, Nehru Chinthana Kendra, whose involvement strengthened the vision of taking books beyond collection and into everyday learning spaces.
The vision was further strengthened by the support of Paradeep Phosphates Limited (PPL), whose contribution of ten sturdy cupboards helped transform an idea into lasting infrastructure. Representatives of PPL associated with the initiative included S Girish, chief manufacturing officer; Chetan Mendonca, head – HR and IR; and Vivek Krishnapura, senior officer – HR and CSR coordinator.
Organisers observed that when care meets collaboration, even a cupboard can become a doorway – where shelves hold stories, stories invite curiosity, and children discover that learning can be joyful, safe, and shared.
The programme was initiated and coordinated by Dr Nayana Krishnapura, research assistant, Mangalore University. Prof Mohan Singhe, Department of Social Work, Mangalore University, and Sandhya Anchan, office assistant, Nehru Chinthana Kendra, Mangalore University, joined the distribution of cupboards, reinforcing the shared belief that even a simple cupboard can open doors to imagination, learning, and joy. Through many hands and one shared belief, these cupboards now stand quietly, opening paths to imagination and brighter learning journeys.