How I Taught My Grandmother to Read, Summary, Themes & Life Lessons | Sudha Murty
- 14 minutes ago
- 6 min read
📖 How I Taught My Grandmother to Read – A Story of Determination and Love
✨ Introduction
Education is often considered something meant for the young, but Sudha Murty’s heartwarming story “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read” beautifully challenges this belief. It tells us that learning has no age limit and that the desire for knowledge can transform lives at any stage.
This story is not just about literacy—it is about self-respect, determination, emotional bonding, and empowerment.
🏡 Setting of the Story
The story is set in a village in North Karnataka, where the narrator spends her childhood with her grandparents. Due to poor transport facilities, newspapers and magazines arrive late, and people depend heavily on shared reading experiences .
A popular Kannada magazine, Karmaveera, publishes a serial novel called Kashi Yatre, which becomes the center of attention.
📚 The Grandmother’s Deep Interest in Stories
The narrator’s grandmother, Krishakka, is deeply fascinated by the story Kashi Yatre. Although she cannot read, she eagerly listens to her granddaughter reading it aloud.
She listens with full concentration
She even memorizes parts of the story
She discusses it with her friends
This shows her intellectual curiosity and emotional involvement, despite being illiterate.
💔 The Turning Point
A major turning point occurs when the narrator goes away for a week to attend a wedding. During this time:
The grandmother cannot read the next episode
She feels helpless and dependent
When the narrator returns, she finds her grandmother in tears
This moment is powerful because it reveals the grandmother’s deep regret for not being educated.
🧠 Realization and Decision
The grandmother shares her past:
She lost her mother at a young age
She had no opportunity to go to school
She always regretted her lack of education
She then makes a firm decision:
She wants to learn to read and become independent.
This decision reflects strong determination and self-awareness.
🎯 A Journey of Learning
Despite being 62 years old, the grandmother begins learning the Kannada alphabet.
The narrator becomes her teacher
She studies regularly with discipline
She sets a goal: to read a novel independently by Dussehra
Initially, the narrator laughs at her, thinking it is too difficult. But the grandmother proves her wrong through her hard work and persistence.
🏆 The Moment of Success
On the day of Saraswati Puja:
The grandmother reads a novel on her own
She touches her granddaughter’s feet as a mark of respect
This act is significant because:
It symbolizes the teacher-student relationship
It shows gratitude and humility
It highlights the importance of education
The narrator feels proud and realizes the true value of teaching.
🌱 Themes of the Story
1. Education Has No Age Limit
Learning can begin at any stage of life.
2. Determination Leads to Success
Strong willpower can overcome any obstacle.
3. Importance of Independence
Literacy gives a sense of dignity and self-reliance.
4. Emotional Bonding
The story highlights a beautiful relationship between grandmother and granddaughter.
💡 Message of the Story
The story conveys a powerful message:
“If you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle. For learning, there is no age bar.”
It inspires readers to:
Value education
Help others learn
Never feel too late to start something new
📝 Educational Value (From Activities in the Text)
The lesson also includes various learning activities:
Vocabulary exercises (binomials like “pick and choose”, “part and parcel”)
Grammar practice (past perfect tense usage)
Speaking activities (debates on learning at different ages)
Writing tasks (formal letter on adult literacy)
These activities reinforce both language skills and moral understanding.
❤️ Conclusion
“How I Taught My Grandmother to Read” is more than just a story—it is an inspiration. It teaches us that:
Learning is a lifelong journey
Age is never a barrier
Determination can change lives
The grandmother’s courage reminds us that true education begins with the desire to learn.
Here are 20 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) based on the story "How I Taught My Grandmother to Read".
Who is the author of "How I Taught My Grandmother to Read"?
The author of the story is Sudha Murty.
How old was the narrator and her grandmother when the events of the story took place?
The narrator was twelve years old, and her grandmother was sixty-two years old.
Who was Triveni, and what was her writing style?
Triveni was a wonderful and highly popular writer in the Kannada language. Her style was very convincing and easy to read, frequently addressing the complex psychological problems of ordinary people.
What was the grandmother's favourite story, and where was it published?
The grandmother's favourite story was a novel called Kashi Yatre. It was published as a serial in a Kannada weekly magazine called Karmaveera.
What is the central plot of Kashi Yatre?
The novel is about an old lady who has an ardent desire to travel to Kashi to worship Lord Vishweshwara, which is considered the ultimate punya by most Hindus. However, she ultimately sacrifices her savings to fund the wedding of a young orphan girl instead of making her pilgrimage.
Why couldn't the grandmother read the story on her own?
The grandmother, whose name was Krishtakka, never attended school. In her youth, education was not considered essential for girls.
Why did the narrator leave her village for a week?
The narrator went to a neighbouring village with her cousins to attend a wedding.
Why was the grandmother crying when the narrator returned?
The grandmother was in tears because the latest issue of Karmaveera had arrived, and she felt completely dependent and helpless because she could not read the story without her granddaughter.
What goal did the grandmother set for herself to become independent?
She decided to learn the Kannada alphabet, setting Saraswati Puja day during Dassara as her deadline to be able to read a novel completely on her own.
How did the narrator initially react to her grandmother's decision?
The narrator childishly made fun of the old lady. She pointed out her grandmother's grey hair, wrinkled hands, spectacles, and the fact that she was sixty-two years old and busy in the kitchen.
What was the grandmother's perspective on learning?
She believed that there is no age bar for learning. She stated that if someone is determined for a good cause, they can overcome any obstacle.
What gift did the narrator present to her grandmother on Dassara?
The narrator secretly bought her a copy of Kashi Yatre, which had been published as a full novel by that time.
Why did the grandmother touch the narrator's feet?
The grandmother touched her feet to show respect to a teacher who had taught her well. She explained that scriptures state a teacher should be respected irrespective of their gender or age.
What does the idiom "passed with flying colours" mean?
The idiom "passed with flying colours" means an outstanding performance.
What are "binomials" in English grammar?
Binomials are expressions consisting of two words that are commonly used together in a fixed order. They are usually linked by a conjunction like 'and' or 'or'.
Can you give an example of a binomial used in the story?
The expression "hide and seek" is used in the text as an example of a binomial.
When should the past perfect tense be used?
The past perfect tense is used to indicate two completed actions where one occurred earlier and the other occurred more recently. The earlier action takes the past perfect tense, while the more recent action is expressed in the simple past.
Which authority implements the Adult Education Programme in India?
The National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA) is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing the Adult Education Programme in India.
What is the definition of "financial literacy"?
Financial literacy is the ability to understand and effectively apply various financial skills. This includes personal financial management, investing, and budgeting.
What is the purpose of the Early Literacy Project (ELP)?
The Early Literacy Project targets under-achieving school-going children in Grades 1, 2, and 3, as well as out-of-school children and youth. It primarily focuses on children from marginalised communities with high illiteracy rates.
Comments