Katha expands Leadership Team, charts a path for Sustainable Expansion

NEW DELHI, Aug. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating an incredible journey of over 30 years, Katha's Governing Council has announced a transformative restructuring that paves the way for even greater reach and sustainability. In line with Katha's mission of 35 years – to bring the joy of quality education to millions of underserved children in India- Katha will now be headed by 3 CEOs who will scale Katha's impact together. Ms. Parvinder Kaur, a dedicated member of the Katha family for two decades, will lead Katha Kalpvariksham, the Centre for Sustainable Learning. Mr. Rajesh Soundararajan has the deep global corporate experience to unleash Katha's innovative spirit as the CEO of its newest and promising Katha 300M Initiative. Mr. Ravin Carr, an experienced executive in marketing and sales, takes the helm as CEO of Katha Vilasam, its Story Research and Resource Centre, Katha's oldest division. Together, this restructuring weaves a new chapter in Katha's vibrant narrative, strengthening our commitment to literacy, creativity, and the endless potential of every learner in India.

Empowering Leaders, Expanding Impact

Ms. Parvinder Kaur, who has been with Katha for over 20 years, steps into the CEO role of Katha Kalpvariksham, the Centre for Sustainable Learning. She brings a wealth of experience working with Governments and Donors. She has been responsible for the rapid growth of Katha's Education Programs, which include the Katha Lab School and Katha Magic Labs, now reaching more than nine states. Katha's unique StoryPedagogy, a cornerstone of their teaching principles, makes learning an immersive, engaging process and creates a lasting impact. With over 30 years of empowering underprivileged, first-time learners from underserved communities, Katha's innovative pedagogical approach has been instrumental in shaping India's educational landscape.

Expressing her excitement about the future of Katha's Education Programs, Parvinder commented, "This is an exciting time for Katha and me. As we increase our footprint, the challenges amplify. But with every challenge emerges an opportunity to create an impactful difference. Together, we are determined to shape a promising future for the children of this country."

Adding to Katha's leadership strength, Rajesh Soundararajan, with his profound global corporate experience, assumes the role of CEO of the newest and fledgling Katha 300M Initiative. The 300 Million Citizens' Challenge synergises Katha's publishing and pedagogical prowess to forge a stronger bond with millions of children and teachers via its unique technology platform learn.katha.org and grassroots partnerships.

On his new responsibility, Rajesh conveyed: "There is a world of potential in the 300 million children out there waiting to be tapped who can build a strong and resilient India. We can impact millions of children by sharing our rich and proven experience in content and pedagogy with grassroots partners. With the 300M anytime, anywhere platform, we bring the best of both worlds - child-centric content with facilitator-led delivery anytime, anywhere."

A Fresh Chapter for Katha Vilasam

As part of this transformative narrative, Ravin Carr has been appointed CEO of Katha Vilasam, the Story Research and Resource Centre and Katha's oldest division. Leveraging his experience in marketing, sales, and technology services, Ravin aims to infuse new energy and foster growth of the publishing arm, an integral part of Katha's ambitious expansion plan.

Ravin shared his views on this strategic step, "It is an honour to step into this vital role. Katha's stories are unique in the world of children's literature, and with over 425 titles for children and young adults, Katha is already an established leader in the Indian publishing industry. It is a matter of great pride that over 70% of Katha's readers are from underprivileged communities."

"We look forward to expanding Katha's reach and making Katha's world-class stories available to every child in India by growing existing relationships and building new channels."

Executives and council members are not alone in their enthusiasm for India and her future. Geeta Dharmarajan, the Executive President of Katha and a Padma Shri awardee, sees this expansion as a pivotal moment in Katha's journey. "This restructuring is an opportunity to dream bigger, to stretch our boundaries, and magnify our impact. Each of our leaders embodies the spirit of Katha - tenacity, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to empowering our children through education. We have laid a strong foundation; it's time to build a brighter future together."

With these strategic appointments, Katha continues its mission to educate and empower children across India, fostering an environment where every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, can flourish.

For more information about Katha and its mission, please visit www.katha.org.

Media Contact:

Sameeksha Gupta
[email protected]  | +91 99996 30391

About Katha:

Katha, a "profit for all" organization, was founded in New Delhi in 1988 by Padma Shree Geeta Dharmarajan, loves children! We make fabulous books for children, and create learning spaces that children love to explore and build their imaginations in. Working predominantly with children who come from non-literate families and live in urban or rural poverty; our books and education set benchmarks for quality and deep learning. For over three decades, Katha's work has grown to span the literacy to literature continuum, reaching 10 million + underserved children in India. By seamlessly connecting grassroots work in education and urban resurgence, Katha brings children living in poverty into reading and quality education. Our holistic education programmes include our flagship Katha Lab School in Govindpuri, Katha's Slum Resurgence Initiative (SRI), Katha English Academy (KENGA), Katha School of Entrepreneurship (KSE), I Love Reading campaign and 300 Million Citizens' Challenge. More information about Katha can be found at www.katha.org; www.kadl.org

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