Doddaghollarahatti, Karnataka: Toyota Kirloskar Motor has completed its 37th iCARE initiative, bringing together 250 volunteers to transform the library at Government High School, Doddaghollarahatti, into a more colourful, accessible and student-friendly reading space.
The initiative, held in observance of National Reading Day 2026, was conducted under Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s Employee Volunteerism Program. The participating volunteers included TKM employees, their family members and students.
As part of the activity, volunteers refurbished the existing library by adding colourful mural art, dusting and arranging books, cataloguing reading material, assembling furniture and installing signage to improve visibility. The effort was aimed at making the space not only functional, but also inviting enough for students to actually walk in without treating the library like a quiet punishment room.
Volunteers also contributed new and pre-owned books, helping expand the library’s collection and giving students wider access to reading material. According to the company, the iCARE volunteers worked across every stage of the refurbishment, renovation and transformation process to create a brighter and more welcoming environment.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor said the initiative reflects its broader commitment to supporting national development goals, especially in education. The company linked the effort with the Government of India’s National Education Policy 2020, which highlights the role of libraries as dynamic learning spaces that support foundational literacy, multilingual proficiency, research skills and lifelong learning.
Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Vikram Gulati, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Governance, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “At Toyota, we believe that every child deserves access to spaces that inspire learning and curiosity. A library is often the first place where students discover new ideas, perspectives and opportunities beyond the classroom. Through the 37th iCARE initiative, we have worked to create a more welcoming and engaging environment that encourages students to read, explore and learn. By strengthening access to books and learning resources, we hope to support students in building knowledge, confidence and aspirations that can help shape their future.”
Launched in 2017, iCARE — short for I, Community Action to Reach Everyone — is Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s flagship employee volunteerism initiative. The programme encourages employees and their families to participate in community-focused activities across social development areas.
So far, more than 4,500 volunteers have taken part in 37 community programmes under iCARE, positively impacting over 68,800 lives, according to the company. TKM said it continues to work with local institutions and communities to create long-term impact across its six core CSR pillars: education, health and hygiene, environment, skill development, road safety and disaster management.
For students at Doddaghollarahatti, the refreshed library may be a modest intervention on paper, but its purpose is larger: to make books easier to find, more enjoyable to use and less likely to gather dust — a small but meaningful step in turning reading into a habit rather than a classroom instruction.
