Give Richa Chadda a book and a bottle of water and she will do the disappearing act. Make her sit under the hot sun and she would still be lost in her book. Amongst the plethora of book lovers, there are a few who open a new chapter of their life through books. Richa, the co-founder of KidEngage was passionate about books since her childhood. She and her doctor-parents, also book lovers, bonded over books. While her brother took medicine, she chose engineering. “My brother didn’t have time for anything else once he joined medicine. I couldn’t live without my books, but my father was clear that I should have a professional degree,” she recalls.
Career
While she finished her engineering in computer science, the job market was going through a lean phase. Her career started in HSBC, Pune before she shifted to Royal Bank of Scotland. After a decade long stint there she took a break during her pregnancy and she moved with her husband to Hyderabad. “During the break, I wanted to do something but didn’t want to put in long hours. Not knowing what to do, I ended up going back to work.” Working from home and travelling every month to her office in Delhi was exhausting, physically and mentally. “Even when one is away from the office atmosphere,you are constantly working but don’t know where it is leading,” she recalls adding the books never left her.
While she made sure her son got his books, she observed the low reading culture among city dwellers. “Hyderabad scored low on books, book stores and the reading culture.” As she browsed for his books, she thought of an idea. “Being a compulsive buyer, I had my collection of books; I worked hard to get books for my son too. I wondered if all these books are made available for other children, the love for reading can be initiated.”
Bridging gaps
That’s when she bid goodbye to her 12-year-old software career and launched the Hyderabad branch of Easy library. After that shut down, she co-founded KidEngage, an online platform for holistic child development. It not only information on schools and addresses parental concerns, but also bridges gaps with hobby classes, kids events, science and craft boxes, and books. The books collection in the Centre has quadrupled and she has also transformed into a storyteller here. “I have seen very little children grow up into primary school goers. They enthusiastically enquire about the books and some smile remembering a character from the story I narrated. This is my real income as I have been able to make a difference in someone else’s life.”
Working at home helped her gain a perspective, she believes. “Far away from the office dynamics, I could see see things from an outsider’s point of view. I used to code, test, talk to people and finalise requirements. I was doing my best but could not see any difference.”
Although her pay has considerably reduced, she is at home with her books. “It is all about priorities in life. You have to make peace with your choices.”
(The column features people who dared to give up their lucrative jobs in pursue of their dream)