During my return journey to Delhi after three days in Khajuraho, a simple airport reading facility reminded me how thoughtful public service can enrich a traveller’s experience
By Rusen Kumar
After spending three days in Khajuraho, in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district, I arrived at Khajuraho Airport for my return journey to Delhi. There, an unexpected discovery caught my attention: Flybrary, a reading facility provided by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Books were displayed across three vertical panels, inviting passengers to spend their waiting time meaningfully. The books on history particularly interested me. After visiting a place associated with heritage, encountering books at the airport felt like a natural continuation of the journey. I appreciated the simplicity of the idea. A passenger could pause, choose a book and enter a world of knowledge before boarding. Books are precious companions, and making them accessible in a public space reflects thoughtful service. For me, this display offered something valuable: an opportunity to make the time between arrival at the terminal and departure more engaging, reflective and rewarding through the pleasure of reading.
Borrow, Read and Return
Amit Patel, who coordinated the initiative at the airport, explained the facility to me. He informed me that the books were available free of cost: passengers could borrow a book from the display, read it and return it afterwards. He also explained that a borrowed book could be returned at another airport where a similar Flybrary facility was available. This arrangement gives the initiative an appealing sense of continuity, allowing reading to accompany travel. Published reporting likewise describes free borrowing and returns at participating destination airports. The initiative’s roots also deserve acknowledgement: Bakul Foundation identifies the Bhubaneswar Airport Flybrary as its initiative in partnership with AAI. What impressed me at Khajuraho was how easily this concept could connect with a passenger’s needs. Waiting becomes an opportunity to learn, while returning a book ensures another traveller can enjoy it. Its strength lies in accessibility, shared responsibility and respect for readers.
Public Service Through Reading
I see Flybrary as a thoughtful expression of the Airports Authority of India’s social responsibility. My appreciation concerns its public value; I am not presenting it as an officially designated corporate social responsibility programme. Yet its spirit resonates with CSR: widening access to knowledge, encouraging reading and recognising people’s needs within everyday services. An airport serves passengers through infrastructure, safety and operational efficiency, but its social character also emerges through small acts of care. A freely available book is one such act. It invites travellers to use their time well and reminds us that learning can happen wherever we are. I commend AAI and the Khajuraho Airport team for creating this opportunity. I also hope passengers will handle the books carefully and return them as guided, keeping the facility useful for others. My return journey carried an impression: thoughtful public service can make room for knowledge alongside movement and connectivity.
About the Author
Rusen Kumar is the founder and managing editor of India CSR – The CSR chronicle of India. He writes on CSR, Sustainability and Environmental affairs. He brings expertise in governance, leadership development, social development, human development, and strategic focus, serving for-profit and not-for-profit boards and advising chief executive officers and executive management. He can be reached at news@indiacsr.in
