Geeta Dharmarajan

Geeta Dharmarajan writer, editor, educationist, is the Executive Director of Katha, a nonprofit organisation that she founded in 1988. Interested in learning across boundaries, her work has focused on education especially of children from economically poor families, story and storytelling for deep-rooted learning and for culturelinking India's diverse cultures, values, and traditions. Her interests have shaped the inclusive and integrated work of Katha, and its various interlinked activities.She received the Padma Shri Award for her work in education and literature in 2012.
In 1988, Geeta Dharmarajan founded Katha,^[4][5] a registered non-profit and non-governmental organisation based in Delhi in 1989. Katha works in areas of teacher training, children's education, and literature. Katha works in several underprivileged areas across India. A teaching/learning tool that she devised, "story pedagogy," has been in use in the Katha learning centres since 2001. Geeta's professional editorial experience that began with Target, a children's magazine, and continued with The Pennsylvania Gazette, the award-winning alumni magazine of the University of Pennsylvania, has contributed to the making of the rigorous children's books publisher and visionary activist that she is today.
Geeta's published works include more than 30 children's books and over 450 individual pieces that have been published in reputed magazines and newspapers in India and abroad.

Personal life

Geeta Dharmarajan was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu in 1948. She was introduced early to the diversity of India through the work of her father, Dr N. Krishnaswamy^[6] a doctor and allergy specialist; and learnt to see poverty and need through his eyes. But her creativity and eye for detail, her sense of an inner imperative to excel comes from her mother, Mrs Kalyani Krishnaswamy,^[7] a poet and composer of classical carnatic padams.^[8] She started learning classical Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music when she was seven years old.
She was educated in Holy Angels' High School where she went on to represent the school in dance and netball. She was elected Head Girl of the school and led the south Indian contingent to the Bharat Girl Guides Jamboree in her final year in school. She graduated from Stella Maris College in English Literature, standing fourth in the University.

Geeta started Katha, a "profit-for-all" nonprofit organisation working with and in story and storytelling in 1988. is one of India's top publishing houses that also works in education of children from economically poor families.^[9]

Katha Books

Focussing on quality translations – Geeta is the editor in chief of Katha's list which includes the Katha Prize Stories^[10] She has edited stories from more than 300 of India's best literary talents writing in 21 Indian languages. Katha Books are a showcase of contemporary Indian fiction for adults and children.^[11] Katha also introduces an array of writings from the many oral and written traditions of India to children, ages 0 – 17. Classy productions, child friendly layouts and superb illustrations go in tandem with excellent writing.

A staff writer for Katha, you can find some of her books here.^[12] And here.^[11] Geeta's major activities include the institution of the Katha Awards for Literary Excellence^[13] that are considered national recognitions; and curating the Katha Festivals and utsavs that bring literature into the public ken. These create open meeting places for writers, translators, scholars, critics, storytellers, folk and contemporary artists and community activists from India and abroad. Katha has been called "literary satyagrahis" by no less a person than the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Ramachandra Gandhi.

Katha Schools

The Katha Lab School was started by Geeta in 1990 with five children.^[14] Today it is a centre of creativity for the slum cluster it is situated in, producing professionals every year who become entrepreneurs who support their families, or go on to higher studies. More than 80% of Katha's children go to college! It was recently visited by The Prince of Wales^[15][16] Katha is an award-winning publisher of books for adults and children.^[17] Geeta led the writers workshop initiative for the central Board of Secondary Education,^[18] with partnerships established in 500 schools in India ^[19]

Career

• Geeta Dharmarajan founded Katha in 1988. She has been the Executive Director of Katha, since 8 September 1989.
• Dharmarajan began a children's magazine called Tamasha!Bold text in 1988.^[20]
• Prior to that she was the Assistant Editor of Pennsylvania GazetteBold text the magazine of the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania and TargetBold text, a children's magazine in India.^[21]
• She has written more than 30 books (some listed in the section below) for children and also edited several books for adults and children.^[22]
• She started learning classical Bharatanatyam when she was seven years old. This experience helped her to create a classroom pedagogy that takes off from Bharata's Natya Shastra Natya Shastra. Called Story Pedagogy this is patented to Katha.

References