In Seem village, Nainital, literacy was once a distant dream. Schools existed, but attendance and quality were poor. Then, a Mumbai couple retired there—and everything changed. This is the story of how a single-room library illuminated the minds of hundreds.
Jaya and Atul Shah, retired in 2016, chose the peaceful village of Seem as their home. They soon saw the core problem: education was limited to outdated textbooks, no storybooks, no internet, and no exposure for children.
With just 17 donated storybooks and one spare room in their bungalow, they opened the "Happy Children’s Library". Day one saw 35 curious kids walk in. By day two, 50 eager faces filled the room.
Children from 7 other surrounding villages began attending regularly. The library became a hub for literacy, curiosity, and creativity.
Thanks to the Angelique Foundation and supportive friends, the library blossomed. Today, it hosts 1,400 books in Hindi and English, plus games, puzzles, and workshops sparking young minds.
Jaya personally teaches English, while local school teacher Kripal Singh Bisht teaches math. The library is a hub for learning, laughter, and new dreams. Atul set up a digital lab beside the library, teaching computer skills to local youth and women.
Kids take books home, sharing stories and scientific concepts with their grandparents. Abhilasha, Class 8, says, “Before Didi and Dadda came here, we didn’t even know what a library was. Now, we can read a lot of different kinds of books.”
On special days, over 60 children come to learn, play, and grow together in this magical place. Inspired by their success, five new libraries now thrive in nearby villages, spreading the gift of reading and transforming lives beyond Seem.
From Mumbai’s busy streets to Uttarakhand’s remote hills, Jaya and Atul’s love for books kindled a lasting change—each page turned, lighting the path to hope.