IAS officer transforms abandoned buildings into digital libraries in Rajasthan

IAS officer Nivrutti Avhad Somnath converted abandoned public buildings into digital libraries called Samvidhan Ghars in the Dholpur district of Rajasthan, India.

During a 2025 campaign to increase constitutional awareness, Avhad found many former schools and panchayat halls left empty or overgrown with vegetation. She decided to retrofit these neglected structures into modern community learning spaces to provide rural students with better access to education.

The initiative expanded from eighteen initial buildings to a network of seventy-eight fully equipped digital libraries. These centers provide computers, smart televisions, printers, and solar power units. Students in remote areas can now access these resources to prepare for competitive exams without traveling to expensive urban coaching centers. Funding for the expansion came from local development funds and corporate social responsibility grants from organizations like SBI Card and IIFCL.

Local women from village self-help groups, known as Samvidhan Sakhis, manage the daily operations of each library. This leadership choice helps rural families feel safer about sending daughters and married women to study in their own neighborhoods. To ensure community ownership, Avhad required villagers to contribute labor or furniture to the project. More than five thousand students now use these centers daily to prepare for various professional examinations.