A children’s library in Hyderabad where stories shape values

Founded by educator Shilpa Kiranveer, Kathatitam in Hyderabad is a new children's library and cultural space

Saturday mornings are at their busiest at Kathatitam in Hyderabad. Tucked away on the fifth floor of a complex in a quiet Gachibowli lane, the library-cum-cultural space opened in August, 2025, with its village-themed décor and calming ambience, transports young readers into another world. When we visit, the children pause their reading to welcome Lakshmi, a farmer, for a storytelling session.

Shilpa Kiranveer as Lakshmi, a farmer during a storytelling session | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“Dear friends, I am nowhere close to being qualified to play a farmer. It is a deeply respected profession, and I am honoured to step into this role,” says storyteller and founder Shilpa Kiranveer, as she slips into character to explain the significance of Sankranti for farmers. For the next 15 minutes, she becomes Lakshmi — a woman who works the land, contributes to food production, manages her household and cares for her children. Through expressive narration, Shilpa brings the lives of women farmers vividly alive for her young audience.

Shilpa began her professional life as a software engineer before motherhood drew her towards education. She went on to teach at Vidyaranya High School for seven years, where she became closely involved with library work. “I completed my library educators’ course at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), which truly opened my heart and mind to what reading can do for children, especially at a young age,” she says.

During a session | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Collecting books for her four boys was not just about building a reading habit, it became a way to communicate values. Whenever she faced a parenting roadblock and wanted to make a point without lecturing, Shilpa turned to stories. “Many situations arise that families are not equipped to discuss. Stories help simplify them, and children understand. It also eases tension at home,” she says.