Who We Are

The Dumigaon Reading Room Resource and Education Foundation (DGRRREF) is a not-for-profit company based in Dumigaon, South Sikkim. Registered as a Section 8 company under the Companies Act (2013) in September 2023, the Foundation is dedicated to fostering community engagement across the region. Its journey began with the idea of the Reading Room, a community library envisioned over many years. Designed by Goa-based architect Indrajit Chatterji and executed by Gangtok-based Kailash Pradhan, the construction began in 2014, and officially opened to the public in March 2019. The Reading Room laid the groundwork for what would become a broader initiative. Since then, the Foundation has grown and evolved, expanding its vision and reach. 

The Foundation at its core, believes that stories have the quiet power to transform lives. Our efforts thereby grow from a simple yet profound idea that reading, reflection, and curiosity can help children and communities to flourish. Thereby the Reading Room, offers its space and resources to nurture lifelong readers, thoughtful citizens, and rooted, imaginative learners and changemakers.  This initiative expands into our flagship programme Reading For Joy  which spreads the joy of books and reading in government primary schools with the aim to strengthen literacy competence both in Nepali and English. Furthermore, to ensure meaningful engagement with children within the library and in schools, the in-house training programme strengthens the professional and skill development of the reading teachers. Additionally, our creative wing Kalaghar centre around a shared space for knowledge, exploration and building deeper connections with ourselves, our communities and the environment. And our collaboration with the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Delhi further supports science and environmental awareness among children. 

Meanwhile our commitment to knowledge and storytelling also extends into the digital world through The Sikkim Project: The Land and Its People, a bilingual (Nepali-English) website that explores the interconnectedness of Sikkim’s landscapes, histories, and communities, including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Bhutan, and the Doars. Finally, the Reading Himalaya, our research and policy initiative, offers end-to-end research services with a focus on society, development, and the environment in the Himalayan region. 

Together, these strands form the Dumigaon Reading Room Resource and Education Foundation, an evolving ecosystem that values the power of quiet stories, shared spaces and sustained learning in shaping our communities and hopeful futures.