Katha Ghar: 17-year-old girl sets up free library outside her Koramangala home

Seventeen-year-old Mihira Gujral has created Katha Ghar, a free library in a compact hut-like box placed in front of her home in Koramangala 1st Block, Bengaluru. The library was inspired by a similar initiative seen during a trek in the United States of America where she and her father encountered a free book unit outside a house.

Ms. Gujral's father designed and installed the wooden box in December 2025. Katha Ghar has been recognized as a member of the Delhi-based Free Libraries Network, an organization dedicated to establishing, managing, and promoting free libraries that provide equal access to reading, learning, and information resources for all. This library initially featured a collection of fiction books but later expanded to include other genres.

The library's capacity is around 35 to 40 books, and readers ranging from young readers to gig workers pick and return books. Ms. Gujral shared an instance when a delivery person declined taking a book because his roommates would mock him if he was found reading. Despite a low return rate, Ms. Gujral believes that the library promotes reading habits and provides knowledge to those who cannot afford subscription-based private libraries or new books.

The duo curates books based on global and local events. They have stocked libraries with books related to sports events like the IPL and FIFA World Cup, and topics like geopolitics during the West Asia crisis. The Gujral family installed another Katha Ghar in a private school in Thrissur, Kerala, and are planning to set up more libraries in schools in Delhi, Gurugram, and some government schools in Bengaluru.