Geeta Dharmarajan’s life is a remarkable journey from a curious reader and ambitious journalist to a visionary educationist transforming lives across India’s urban slums. Born in 1948 in Chennai, Geeta grew up surrounded by books and storytelling, shaping her lifelong passion for literature and learning.
After earning degrees in English literature and working as an editor for international publishing houses, she returned to India in the mid-1980s. What she saw in Delhi’s slums would change everything children as young as four struggling to survive with no access to education.
“I witnessed first-hand the heartbreaking poverty that stole childhood dreams,” Geeta recalls. This sparked the creation of Katha in 1988, a bold initiative that aimed not just to teach children to read but to empower them as leaders, thinkers, and changemakers. Her own journey mirrors that of the children she serves a testament to the power of stories to ignite transformation.
Rooted in StoryPedagogy: More than Teaching
At the heart of Katha’s success is StoryPedagogy, an educational method uniquely adapted to the needs of first-generation learners, especially slum children and women.
Moving beyond memorisation, this approach uses storytelling to ignite curiosity, critical thinking, and confidence qualities often overlooked in traditional schooling. Katha’s libraries brim with over 400 books published in 21 Indian languages, offering children narratives that reflect their cultures and realities.
Geeta explains, “When stories speak your language and your truth, learning becomes a pathway to freedom.” The initiative not only boosts literacy rates but also nurtures self-expression and resilience.
Women benefit from vocational training, gaining skills in tailoring, handicrafts, and micro-entrepreneurship, contributing to family incomes and social empowerment. The programme’s holistic model covering intellectual, social, and emotional development is a blueprint for inclusive education.
A Decades-Long Evolution and Expanding Impact
Katha’s transformation from Geeta’s lone effort into a sprawling network is extraordinary. Today, Katha runs 96 schools reaching over 7,000 children in Delhi and states like Haryana, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh.
The NGO works closely with government schools to elevate reading proficiency and with rural communities to sustain literacy programs. Ground initiatives, including the Tamasha Roadshow, take education to street corners and construction sites, reaching the hardest-to-reach children.
Geeta’s leadership extends beyond pedagogy; she has forged partnerships with international donors such as USAID and Tata Trusts, ensuring ongoing growth and innovation.
“Education is a collective journey teachers, parents, and communities all must walk it together,” she affirms. These programs have unlocked opportunities for thousands to pursue careers in medicine, law, arts, and engineering, breaking generational poverty cycles.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Geeta Dharmarajan’s story and Katha’s mission underscore the profound social change that empathy-driven, culturally grounded education can accomplish. It illustrates the alignment of education with real-life contexts instead of one-size-fits-all models.
The Logical Indian applauds Katha’s commitment to inclusivity, equity, and peace-building through literacy a reminder that education is a fundamental human right and a force for harmony. As we witness global educational inequalities, Geeta’s journey beckons us to rethink how communities, governments, and civil society can nurture learner-centred, culturally rooted models. How can we, as individuals and members of society, support and scale such initiatives to build a more equitable, compassionate future?
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