US consul-general Katherine Dhanani with some volunteers at the Bakul Children’s Library. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 6: US consul general Katherine Dhanani met young volunteers and school children at Bakul Children’s Library yesterday for an informal, interactive session during which she asked about volunteerism in the state.

Accompanied by the US consulate cultural affairs specialist and media advisor, Phalguna Jandhyala, Dhanani met around 20 school-going children from nearby slums as well as 25 volunteers, all of them college-goers and young professionals. Although the children were oblivious to her presence and were busy reading books at the library, the older ones made most of the time. The volunteers participated in a comparative discussion with her on volunteerism, student life and academic preferences.

“She wanted to know more about volunteerism in the state and how it had helped establish the library. She talked about how volunteering has become more popular in the USA than it was during her college days,” said engineering student Bhanu Prakash.

“We told her how we started an online campaign in which 1,000 people pledged to open this library by donating books or money to buy books. Being an art lover, she was happy to see art and creativity in the library set up,” he added.

Dhanani had learnt about Bakul Foundation after meeting its founder, Sujit Mahapatra, during the International Visitors’ Leadership Programme held in the US in April last year. “She wanted to see the power of volunteerism. She was curious if helping others is a part of our culture and religion. We explained some of the activities that take place round the year,” said Mahapatra.

The consul general, an economist by training, also pointed out that while engineering courses were gaining popularity in the country, the scenario in the US was completely different.

She planted a sapling in the backyard of the Bakul office. Before she left, she presented the library with a picture book called “Kitchigamig Anishinabeg – the People of the Great Lakes”. Dhanani is on her first official visit to the state.

This time, the school children appeared interested as they flipped through the glossy pages of the book.

Dhanani is on her first official visit to the state after she assumed the charge of the US consulate in Hyderabad. Earlier in the day, she had also visited the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences where the US government is running an “English Access Micro Scholarship Programme” for tribal students.

“In the USA, it is the other way round. Students focus more on literature and liberal arts courses which are not aimed at a specific career,” said Dhanani.