WHERE BOOKS BLOOM IN PUBLIC GARDENS

Driven by a deep commitment to promoting education, Dr Ismat Gabula and her husband Abbasali believed that reading was the most effective way to inspire learning and share knowledge.

- Pooja Patel

On a trip to Kashmir, they met children and communities eager for access to books. When they returned to Mumbai, they collected and sent donated books to Kashmir — a gesture that was met with overwhelming gratitude. Donors, eager to see where their books had gone, received heartwarming photographs from the children. The response was so enthusiastic that over 220 kilos of books were eventually sent to Kashmir, despite the logistical challenges of transporting them.

As donations continued to pour in, they began to wonder how they could extend this initiative closer to home. “Why not Mumbai?” they thought. The city’s residents were eager to share their books. The idea soon took root in a BMC garden near their home — a vibrant space frequented by people from all walks of life: children, senior citizens, and families alike.