IIM Kozhikode professor converts moon lessons into kids' stories

What started out as a fun classroom demonstration has now turned into a storybook illuminating young minds nationwide. Sridhar Guda, a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK), never thought he would go on to be referred to as a children's author. But with 'Stories of Chanda Mama: Legend of the Moon', he reimagines science few professors would even dream of — by making the moon a living, laughing, tell-tale character.

Rather than using formulas or technical jargon, professor Guda had a different approach. "Children always remember stories more than textbooks," he leaned back, smiling.

"If the moon itself becomes a character who speaks, sings, and plays, they will never forget what they learn.

The book is not a desiccated textbook of facts. It's a comic-book-like story in which cosmic secrets are brought to life in adventure and characters. The spark that transformed this offbeat experiment into a nationwide movement was when NCERT's Pranita Gopal saw its possibilities. She asked Guda to work on 'Bharat on the Moon', an educational movement inspired by India's moon missions.

"When professor Pranita came to me, I knew right away that this was something greater than just a exciting project," Guda said.

"It was about sharing ancient stories and anecdotes in a form that makes astronomy easy for kids under the age of 10. That was both the challenge and the opportunity."

"All of us heard stories of the moon, the sun, and the animals growing up. That inspiration was already within us. But the NCERT directive to write for children, and have fun doing it, nudged us towards giving those stories a fresh cartoonish form," Guda told us.

Their method of choice was straightforward but effective: one story, one phenomenon.

Rather than inundating children with technical information, they employed stories to generate interest in natural occurrences. "Science books already exist to provide explanations for phenomena. We wanted to do something different and present the same through a story," he clarified.

The reaction has been warm and wonderful. Friends' and colleagues' children have already read through the bright pages, laughing at the moon's mischievous behaviour while learning astronomy without realizing it. "It is the maximum reward for us to see children happy when they read the book," Guda said.

The project has also received commendation at IIM Kozhikode with the institute director, Debashis Chatterjee, terming it a pioneering combination of education and creativity.

"Back at IIM Kozhikode, we take the view that nation-building starts with inculcating children's curiosity. When science is imparted in the form of folklore and imagination, not only does it thrill young minds but also bridges them to their heritage. This fusion of knowledge and creativity will set off the pursuit of inquiry and make our children dream fearlessly about India's future."