Books are considered lifelong companions for those seeking knowledge, but in today’s digital age, they are often overshadowed by technology and online information. While many rely on phones and the internet for quick answers, books remain a deeper and more reliable source of learning. On World Book Day, April 23, CE visits the Coforge Public Library in Hyderabad, a free and inclusive space designed for people of all ages to read, relax, and engage quietly with books. The library, with its calm ambience and carefully curated collection across genres, offers a distinctive experience for readers seeking a peaceful environment away from everyday distractions. Anuradha Sehgal, chief brand and sustainability officer at Coforge, shares insights into the vision behind the initiative and its purpose.
Tell us about the concept of the library.
People are often addicted to their phones and assume information is available at the click of a button. However, this does not always lead to deep knowledge, strong understanding, or a wider perspective. Learning about the world often comes from reading good literature, while mobile technology frequently delivers information mixed with distraction. The idea for the library came from CEO Sudhir Singh. As the son of an army officer in India, he had access to libraries, and later, while in Princeton, US, he saw his children benefit from public libraries. He realised their impact on personality, perspective, and knowledge, and felt Coforge could bring similar infrastructure to India, inspired by what he had seen in the US. The aim was to create a world-class space offering peace and quiet, a luxury in India. With comfortable seating, tables, air conditioning, and a curated book collection, the library was designed as a safe, quiet environment that inspires reading and learning.
How does the library works?
The Coforge Public Libraries are 100 percent free and open to everyone. Visitors only need to sign in with their mobile and can read throughout the day. The libraries operate from 9 am to 8 pm, seven days a week, all year round. WiFi is intentionally not provided to avoid distraction and prevent it from becoming a co-working space. With over 20,000 carefully curated books across genres, the aim is to encourage reading, and visitors are likely to find something that interests them.
You have a separate section for kids. Tell us about that.
We realised that we don’t have spaces for reading aloud or for meetings like book club sessions within the library because space is limited. We also do not allow any book signing or reading in the general space because we do not want to spoil the experience of readers. We are trying to draw people back to books and reading, and we want nothing to take away from that experience. Children, however, need to be drawn into the world of books. Initially, they need to be read to and introduced to stories and storytelling. For that, we have created a special enclosed space where children and their parents can sit and read aloud. We also invite school children here and reach out to government schools, making transport arrangements for them to visit the library. The idea is to inculcate a love for reading and stories, laying the foundation for lifelong learning. We don’t want books to be associated only with studies. The world of books is truly the world of self-learning and knowledge.
How is the response in Hyderabad?
It has been very good. We opened on October 7, 2025 on a weekday. That weekend, we had about 400 people in the library through word of mouth. We have around 200 people coming in on weekdays, and during weekends, we see higher footfall. So far, we have had 48,187 visitors since we opened.
How about your expansion plans?
We have declared our intention to open 30 libraries. We opened one in Hyderabad, Noida, and Gurgaon. Soon we will open one in Delhi. In the next one year, we expect to see 5 to 6 libraries in Delhi NCR, and then we will come back to Hyderabad and look at opening more libraries here. The biggest challenge for us is finding safe spaces.