A common characteristic of Kravis Prize winners is their widespread impact within their fields of expertise. 2010 Kravis Prize winner Pratham is a renowned innovator and leader in the field of education. The organization educates countless children through its programs, such as Read India, and also publishes cheap, accessible books through its not-for-profit publisher, Pratham Books.
Through Pratham Books, the organization offers high quality books for children at affordable prices and in multiple Indian languages. For example, Madhuri Purandare, a reputable Marathi children’s book writer and illustrator, is publishing two of her books in English through Pratham Books! The books are already available in Hindi, Kannada and Telugu, and the publisher continues to expand its reach. In fact, Purandare’s books embody the spirit of Pratham Books:
“It has simple language and consists of daily experiences, but not of the usual kind. These are ones, which the children can relate to. … Different topics should be taken and for different age groups. There is less literature for the 10 plus group. There is little literature available for those above 10, but nothing after that. If it is available, then I think the kids will read them.”
“Words for children” [The Pune Mirror, May 25, 2012]
Learn more about Pratham on our page and check out Pratham Books’ blog!
