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{{Short description|Indian educator and librarian (born 2006–07)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Muskan Ahirwar
| image = Muskan Ahirwar.jpg
| caption = Muskan in 2023
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|9|2016|01|26}}
| birth_place =
| education =
| occupation = Educator and librarian
| organisation =
| spouse =
| mother =
| father =
| awards =
| honours =
| website =
}}

'''Muskan Ahirwar''' (born {{birth based on age as of date|9|2016|01|26|noage=1}}) is an Indian educator and librarian from [[Bhopal]], India.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 September 2016 |title=Bhopal's little librarian gets big ovation for ingenuity |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bhopal/bhopal-s-little-librarian-gets-big-ovation-for-ingenuity/story-7c56CBQcuJlcMMh0LlVqyH.html |access-date=6 December 2023 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=8 June 2021 |title=This 9-Year-Old Started Her Very Own Library For Slum Children |url=https://homegrown.co.in/homegrown-explore/a-9-year-old-started-a-library-for-slum-children-in-bhopal-meet-muskaan-ahirwar |access-date=6 December 2023 |website=Homegrown |language=en}}</ref> In 2016, when she was 9 years old, she created a community library for children in the [[Slum|worker's colony]] where she lives, named {{lang|hi|Kitabi Masti}} ("fun with books") in [[Hindi]]. The library has since moved to a dedicated space and has been expanded to over 3,000 books.<ref>{{Citation |title=Swabhiman Bharat Story of Muskan Ahirwar: A 14-year Librarian & Teacher, Bal Pustakalay |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhqE47Jcae0 |publisher=News18 India |via=Youtube |access-date=6 December 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Madhya Pradesh के Bhopal में 16 साल की मुस्कान बनीं मिसाल, गरीब बच्चों के लिए चलातीं है Library |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlq7zHs6cGU |publisher=NDTV MP Chhattisgarh |via=Youtube |access-date=6 December 2023 |language=Hindi}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=A Beacon of Hope: "Kitabi Masti" a bibliophile made out of waste that illuminates young lives |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/english/state/madhya-pradesh/kitabi-masti-library-made-out-of-waste-where-children-share-the-joy-of-reading/na20231027103216753753300 |access-date=11 December 2023 |website=ETV Bharat News |date=27 October 2023 |language=en}}</ref> She has been given several awards for her work including by [[NITI Aayog]], [[Hyderabad Literary Festival|Hyderabad Literature Festival]], and the [[Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights]].<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" />

== Kitabi Masti ==

[[File:Kitabi_Masti,_the_library_founded_by_Muskan_Ahirwar.jpg|thumb|Kitabi Masti (Muskan standing, centre) with children who use the library]]

The library, ''Kitabi Masti'' ("fun with books"), is built in the common space of Durganagar worker's colony in Arera Hills of Bhopal where Muskan lives.<ref>{{Citation |title=Meet India's Little Librarian |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEwowu6Kg6M |publisher=Al Jazeera |via=Youtube |access-date=6 December 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=ScooNews |first=Team |date=25 March 2016 |title=A library for slum children thats run by a 9-year-old |url=https://scoonews.com/news/news-a-library-for-slum-children-thats-run-by-a-9-year-old-544/ |access-date=7 December 2023 |website=ScooNews |language=en-US}}</ref> She started the library on 26 January 2016 with her sister Neha to serve the children who live in the area.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 March 2016 |title=Muskaan Ahirwar: 9 years old, class 3, librarian of a Bhopal slum is educating generation next |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/muskaan-ahirwar-9-years-old-class-3-librarian-of-a-bhopal-slum-is-educating-generation-next/articleshow/51329103.cms |access-date=6 December 2023 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Muskaan is running a library at just nine years old |url=https://www.newsnationtv.com/states/madhya-pradesh/muskan-ahirwar-youngest-librarian-from-bhopal-1347.html |access-date=6 December 2023 |website=www.newsnationtv.com}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=This 10-year-old girl runs an international library {{!}} मुस्कान ने सहेजा शिक्षा का अधिकार |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3j7W0qAW7M |publisher=Aapki News |via=Youtube |access-date=6 December 2023 |language=Hindi}}</ref> The library began with 25 books hung on a string outside her house.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Tanaya |date=10 March 2016 |title=9-Year-Old Muskaan from Bhopal Runs a Library to Educate Other Kids in Her Slum |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/48885/children-library-in-bhopal/ |access-date=6 December 2023 |website=The Better India |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="asianage.com">{{Cite web |title=Class V student who runs library in slum gets Chief Minister to help |url=https://www.asianage.com/newsmakers/040817/class-v-student-who-runs-library-in-slum-gets-chief-minister-to-help.html |access-date=6 December 2023 |website=www.asianage.com}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=यहां बच्ची चलाती है Library {{!}} Slum Area में आशा की किरण बनी Muskaan |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5ELNu5w4pM |publisher=IBC24 News |via=Youtube |access-date=6 December 2023 |language=Hindi}}</ref> "I was nine years old when I started this library{{nbsp}}... I had collected some books which I displayed outside my house by hanging them on a rope. The colourful images fascinated the children in the locality. They started visiting my house regularly to read the books. This is how my interest in books started to grow."<ref name=":3" />

In 2017, Muskan was awarded a grant by [[Madhya Pradesh]] Chief Minister [[Shivraj Singh Chouhan]] to fund development of the library.<ref name="asianage.com" /> The library has since moved to a dedicated space which has been renovated using waste materials by architecture students from the [[National Association of Students of Architecture]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /> The library has been expanded to over 3,000 books through contributions of books from places in India as well as the United States, South Africa, and other countries.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" />

== Awards ==
[[File:Muskan_Ahirwar_at_the_Childrens_Champion_Awards_2023.jpg|thumb|Muskan at the Children's Champion Awards 2023]]Muskan has been recognised with several awards for her work and has also been commended by Madhya Pradesh [[UNICEF]] Field Office Chief, Michael Juma.<ref name=":0" />
* 2016: Women Transforming Award by NITI Aayog for her work<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Indian |first=The Logical |date=27 December 2016 |title=A Girl Who Has Set Up A Library Outside Her House For The Slum Children In Her Neighborhood |url=https://thelogicalindian.com/exclusive/muskan/ |access-date=6 December 2023 |website=thelogicalindian.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Meet the 9-Year-Old Librarian Muskan Ahirwar |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_icC6EHpIYM |publisher=The Quint |via=Youtube |access-date=6 December 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
* 2016: Thought Leader award by NITI Ayog in New Delhi<ref>{{Cite web |title=Women Transforming india aWards 2016 – NITI Aayog -A Budding Librarian- Muskan Ahirwar |url=https://www.lisportal.com/lis-result/women-transforming-india-awards-2016-niti-aayog-a-budding-librarian-muskan-ahirwar |access-date=6 December 2023 |website=www.lisportal.com}}</ref>
* 2018: Princess Diana Award, Sushiksha Awards<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Banik |first=Mahuya |date=1 July 2021 |title=The Story of Muskan Ahirwar, a 14-year old librarian for Bhopal slum kids. |url=https://doerlife.com/the-story-of-muskan-ahirwar-a-14-year-old-librarian-for-bhopal-slum-kids/ |access-date=6 December 2023 |website=Doer Life |language=en-US}}</ref>
* 2019: [[Food 4 Thought Foundation|Food4Thought Foundation]]'s Indian Reading Olympiad, category "I am bond" under 18, award<ref>{{Cite web |title=Muskan Ki Masti |url=https://food4thoughtfoundation.org/muskan-ki-masti/ |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=Food4thought Foundation |language=en-US}}</ref>
* 2019: India Reading Olympiad, Hyderabad Literature Festival<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=18 January 2019 |title=Muskan to be honoured at Hyderabad Litfest |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/muskan-to-be-honoured-at-hyderabad-litfest/articleshow/67579465.cms |access-date=9 December 2023 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
* 2020: Devi Awards Indore countdown series<ref name=":1" />
* 2023: Children's Champion Award by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Children Category {{!}} Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) |url=https://dcpcr.delhi.gov.in/dcpcr/children-category |access-date=6 December 2023 |website=dcpcr.delhi.gov.in}}</ref>
* 2023: Vivekanand State Youth Award{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.youtube.com/@kitabimasti/videos Kitabi Masti Youtube Channel]
* [https://www.instagram.com/kitabimastilibrary_official Kitabi Masti Instagram]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahirwar, Muskan}}
[[Category:2000s births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian librarians]]
[[Category:Indian women librarians]]
[[Category:21st-century women librarians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian educators]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women educators]]

Muskan Ahirwar - Revision history

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