BENGALURU / MELUKOTE: Mohammed Suhaib, founder of Affectionate Hands, has been honoured with the Visionary Leadership Award at Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women (mLAC), Bengaluru, in recognition of his work supporting library development in government schools in the Melukote region.
The recognition comes alongside an 18-month education initiative to improve access to books and learning resources for students in rural Karnataka. More than 3,000 books were collected by students and volunteers across Bengaluru, helping establish two library centres in Melukote — the Dattatreya Library Centre and the Vedavyasa KP Library Centre.
The award ceremony brought together education and community figures, including Melukote MLA Shri Darshan Puttannaiah and Padma Shri awardee Shri Anke Gowda. Suhaib’s recognition was linked to his role in driving the library initiative and encouraging community participation in government-school education.
From Book Collection to School Libraries
The Melukote project reached a key milestone on , when volunteers travelled to the region to open the new library spaces and introduce students to the resources. The initiative involved Affectionate Hands, Library on Wheels, the Puttannaiah Foundation and Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women.
Students from Christ (Deemed to be University), Jain University, Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women and KLE College contributed books and volunteer hours, including collecting, sorting and cataloguing materials before they were prepared for school students.
The effort reflects the broader objective of Library on Wheels: expanding access to books and learning resources in communities with limited library access while encouraging reading and literacy.
Taking the Initiative Beyond Books
The visit also introduced students to technology-supported learning. The project included Katheya, an educational application developed by Library on Wheels, with features for translation, transcription and quiz generation. Two tablets were set up at the schools to provide access to the application and additional digital resources.
The initiative was also documented through Beyond the Books, a documentary directed by KLE College student Charan M. J. Volunteers participated in the school visit under Suhaib’s guidance, interacting with students and helping them explore the new library spaces.
Recognition for Community-Led Education
Suhaib’sVisionary Leadership Award adds formal recognition to an initiative developed through contributions from students, volunteers and community organisations. The project combines physical libraries, digital learning tools and direct engagement with students rather than focusing only on book collection.
With ongoing campaign outreach and visibility supported by Areema Chandra from Jain University, serving as Digital Marketing Head for Affectionate Hands, the visit brought the initiative full circle. What began as a Bengaluru book collection drive has developed into two functioning, technology-supported learning spaces through the efforts of students, volunteers and organisations.
The volunteer effort also involved Niharika Newaskar, Tejas Gupta andSrihitha Sai Kota, who worked under Suhaib’s guidance. Along with students from partner institutions, they helped prepare resources and introduce them at the schools, connecting community outreach with student participation and technology-enabled learning.
The initiative’s impact extends beyond the physical presence of books. By involving students in collection, preparation and discovery, the programme has connected urban college communities with government-school students in Melukote and created spaces for reading, curiosity and independent learning.
For Suhaib and the organisations involved, the Melukote initiative marks a continuing effort to make reading and education more accessible. With two library centres established and technology integrated into the programme, the project brings together books, volunteers, digital tools and community participation around a shared educational purpose.
