Stories
Pratham Books CEO Himanshu Giri on Multilingualism and the Future of Reading
M
Moneycontrol•07-10-2026, 16:28
Pratham Books CEO Himanshu Giri on Multilingualism and the Future of Reading
- •Pratham Books was founded in 2004 with the mission to put a book in every child's hand, expanding from traditional publishing to a hybrid model that encourages literacy and reading ecosystems.
- •The digital platform StoryWeaver hosts over 70,000 books in nearly 400 languages and has enabled more than 37 million reads globally through open licensing and community collaboration.
- •Pratham Books emphasizes that multilingualism is central to the Indian reading experience, ensuring children have access to stories in their mother tongues to foster imagination and a lasting reading habit.
- •The organization has helped establish over 150,000 libraries and reading spaces across India through partnerships with governments, schools, NGOs, and community groups.
- •Pratham Books believes that in the age of artificial intelligence, deep reading remains crucial for developing critical thinking, empathy, and the ability to form original questions.
