Ansh Foundation and its’ primary program, Pustakaar, is the initiative founded by
Shobha and Anil Bhansali. After living and working in Seattle for many years, the
Bhansalis returned to India in 2007. Their young sons loved to read and built a
large collection of storybooks. As the boys outgrew the books, they wanted to pass
their love of reading and donate the books to an under-served school. Once the
books were donated, Shobha and Anil started volunteering to read to the students
in class. From there, they had the idea to create a network of volunteers to help and
start a library that could travel to where it was needed.
Our Team
Anil Bhansali
Marathon runner, avid trekker, Bollywood fan, and a fabulous host – Anil and his
wife, Shobha conceptualized Pustakaar when looking at their sons’ treasure trove
of children’s books. When he is not busy making sure everyone else is taken care
of, he can be found spending time at Google. Anil recently enjoyed reading Edith
Eger's The Choice during the pandemic.
Shobha Bhansali
Shobha is the force behind Pustakaar. An MBA in Finance, an entrepreneur and a
certified Montesorri teacher – she has done it all, Shobha left the corporate world
behind in America and immersed herself in the field of education. When she isn’t
in the gym, she can be found in multiple book clubs. Shobha enjoyed rereading
the Harry Potter series.
Karuna Koripella
Karuna always has her nose in a good book, or two, or three. A former AMS
certified Montessori early childhood education facilitator, she has taught in the
USA and Hyderabad. Growing up, her parents shared their love of books with her,
and now she loves seeing her own two children wrapped up in a great story.
Karuna enjoyed re-reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows during lockdown.
Shruthi Hegde
Shruthi joined Pustakaar as a volunteer and soon became a part of the team. Her
knowledge of working with kids with special needs and love for books came handy
in creating our Story Lessons. Now, she is the curriculum and volunteer
coordinator at Pustakaar. She is passionate about traveling and photography. Her
favourite children’s book is The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond. One book that
she could read over and over is To Kill a Mockingbird which the lockdown gave
her the perfect opportunity to do so.
Siva Ramkisan
Siva is the backbone of Pustakaar. Originally hailing from Odissa, he brings his
natural service-centered enthusiasm to Pustakaar. A favorite with all of the
children, Siva makes sure that the children get to take home books every week to
share with their families. Siva’s favorite book is Tales from the Panchatantra. Siva
and his wife welcomed their first child during the second covid lockdown.
Mission:
We are a mobile library that aims to share a love of books with school children,
visiting economically underserved schools. We open the magical world of
storybooks, bringing curiosity and imagination to children for whom reading is an
expensive dream.
Vision:
To inculcate a love of reading in every child, enabling them to grow as confident,
self-aware, and responsible individuals who give back to their communities.
