Pages that breathe, dreams that rise

In the urban jungle of Chennai, where childhood dreams often wither under the scorching sun of inequality, two teenagers rose to defy the odds.

- SARAVANAN MP

In the urban jungle of Chennai, where childhood dreams often wither under the scorching sun of inequality, two teenagers rose to defy the odds. Aditi Srivatsan and Neha Govindarajan knew the stakes were high. Failure was not an option. Their weapon of choice: books, each page a seed of hope, ready to blossom in the most barren of landscapes.

In 2023, Aditi and Neha, both 17 years old and residents of Chennai, set out to bridge the educational divide for underprivileged children. This passion culminated in the Blue Lilac Foundation, a movement devoted to collecting and distributing books to schools that lacked resources. Collaborating with local organisations and homeowners' associations, they managed to collect and donate around 4,700 books.

The seed for this initiative had been planted years ago in Neha's heart. "My grandmother was forced to abandon her education after the fifth grade due to societal pressures," Neha recalled. "She would often share her unfulfilled thirst for learning. That stuck with me, making me realise how many children still lack access to basic resources." It was from these reflections that the idea of the Blue Lilac Foundation was born.