How Camels, Boats and Bullock Carts Are Bringing Books to Rural India
From camel caravans in Rajasthan to floating libraries in Uttar Pradesh, the India Gets Reading campaign is finding inventive ways to nurture a love for reading among children in some of India’s most remote communities.
A fabled beast of burden, the camel is legendary for its tolerance of high temperatures and its ability to survive without water for days. They have been used for warfare by the Bedouin tribes of Arabia. But in India, a nobler notch has been carved into its rich history—that of transporting storybooks to children living in the remotest regions of Rajasthan. This scheme is part of India Gets Reading, a campaign held since 2019 by the Indian chapter of the non-profit Room to Read.
In an era of dwindling attention spans, the India Gets Reading campaign, held around August and September each year, devises innovative ways to inculcate a culture of reading among young children to expand their horizons. One way it does this is via the Read-A-Thon, a reading session wherein thousands of children, parents and teachers across several states simultaneously engage in a reading exercise for half-an-hour. The session has seen a rise from 1,70,000 participants in 2022 to over 39,00,000 participants in 2025.
The use of mobile libraries is another strategy the campaign deploys to bridge the li...
A fabled beast of burden, the camel is legendary for its tolerance of high temperatures and its ability to survive without water for days. They have been used for warfare by the Bedouin tribes of Arabia. But in India, a nobler notch has been carved into its rich history—that of transporting storybooks to children living in the remotest regions of Rajasthan. This scheme is part of India Gets Reading, a campaign held since 2019 by the Indian chapter of the non-profit Room to Read.
In an era of dwindling attention spans, the India Gets Reading campaign, held around August and September each year, devises innovative ways to inculcate a culture of reading among young children to expand their horizons. One way it does this is via the Read-A-Thon, a reading session wherein thousands of children, parents and teachers across several states simultaneously engage in a reading exercise for half-an-hour. The session has seen a rise from 1,70,000 participants in 2022 to over 39,00,000 participants in 2025.
The use of mobile libraries is another strategy the campaign deploys to bridge the literacy gap in rural areas. In 2021, to challenge the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, these libraries diversified in mode, reaching India’s remotest corners in inventive ways. That year, van libraries were deployed across nine states, a boat library floated through Uttar Pradesh, a bike library traversed Madhya Pradesh and a bullock cart library ambled along Chhattisgarh. In Rajasthan, a camel bedecked with balloons and books, travelled across 30 districts to enlighten young minds. “It is difficult for children to access books in these areas. So we had the library come to them. When they see a camel decorated like a reading corner, it piques their curiosity. With this, we ensure that learning does not get conformed to a particular space,” says David Durani, Head of Communications, Room to Read. For the 2026 campaign, the Rajasthan government has taken charge for the rollout of camel cart libraries, with Room to Read acting in an advisory capacity.
The books provided by these mobile libraries are published in six languages: Hindi, Urdu, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada and Telugu, and several other tribal languages. Chock-a-block with illustrations, the books, meant for children from Class I to Class V, range a variety of topics—from moral tales and daily workings of the society to the mysteries of outer space.
“By putting books directly into young hands, these mobile libraries are not just encouraging reading—they are nurturing curiosity, imagination, and a lifelong love for learning,” says Poornima Garg, Country Director, Room to Read.
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