Muskan Ahirwar

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Muskan Ahirwar
Muskan Ahirwar.jpg
Muskan in 2023
Born2006or2007(age 16–17)
Occupation(s)Educator and librarian

Muskan Ahirwar (born 2006or2007) is an Indian educator and librarian from Bhopal, India. [1] [2] In 2016, when she was 9 years old, she created a community library for children in the worker's colony where she lives, named Kitabi Masti ("fun with books") in Hindi. The library has since moved to a dedicated space and has been expanded to over 3,000 books. [3] [4] [5] She has been given several awards for her work including by NITI Aayog, Hyderabad Literature Festival, and the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights. [6] [7]

Contents

Kitabi Masti

Kitabi Masti (Muskan standing, centre) with children who use the library Kitabi Masti, the library founded by Muskan Ahirwar.jpg
Kitabi Masti (Muskan standing, centre) with children who use the library

The library, Kitabi Masti ("fun with books"), is built in the common space of Durganagar worker's colony in Arera Hills of Bhopal where Muskan lives. [8] [9] She started the library on 26 January 2016 with her sister Neha to serve the children who live in the area. [10] [11] [12] The library began with 25 books hung on a string outside her house. [13] [14] [15] "I was nine years old when I started this library ... I had collected some books which I displayed outside my house by hanging them on a rope. The colourful images fascinated the children in the locality. They started visiting my house regularly to read the books. This is how my interest in books started to grow." [5]

In 2017, Muskan was awarded a grant by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to fund development of the library. [14] The library has since moved to a dedicated space which has been renovated using waste materials by architecture students from the National Association of Students of Architecture. [5] [16] The library has been expanded to over 3,000 books through contributions of books from places in India as well as the United States, South Africa, and other countries. [5] [6]

Awards

Muskan at the Children's Champion Awards 2023 Muskan Ahirwar at the Childrens Champion Awards 2023.jpg
Muskan at the Children's Champion Awards 2023

Muskan has been recognised with several awards for her work and has also been commended by Madhya Pradesh UNICEF Field Office Chief, Michael Juma. [17]

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References

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  2. "This 9-Year-Old Started Her Very Own Library For Slum Children". Homegrown. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
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  6. 1 2 3 "Children Category | Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR)". dcpcr.delhi.gov.in. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Muskan to be honoured at Hyderabad Litfest". The Times of India. 18 January 2019. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 9 December 2023.
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  10. "Muskaan Ahirwar: 9 years old, class 3, librarian of a Bhopal slum is educating generation next". The Times of India. 9 March 2016. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 6 December 2023.
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  12. This 10-year-old girl runs an international library | मुस्कान ने सहेजा शिक्षा का अधिकार (in Hindi), Aapki News, retrieved 6 December 2023 via Youtube
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  14. 1 2 "Class V student who runs library in slum gets Chief Minister to help". www.asianage.com. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
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