Team India captain Mithali visits municipal school in Colaba

Members of the India women’s cricket team Friday visited the Colaba Primary Municipal Marathi School in Mumbai to inaugurate a library funded and established by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Mithali Raj cuts the ribbon to inaugurate the ICC sponsored 'Room to Read' library at the Colaba Marathi Municipal School in Mumbai

The visit was intended to demonstrate the players’ support for Room to Read, a global non-profit organisation that aims to promote literacy and gender equality in education across Asian and African countries.

As part of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 commitment towards the local community in one of the host cities, Mumbai, the ICC is supporting a Room to Read initiated campaign, the ‘Checkout Challenge’ – which provides access for children to quality education.

India captain Mithali Raj and pace bowler Jhulan Goswami visited the school and spent time with students in the school’s Room to Read library. The visit included a special storybook reading session, a reading ladder game and an autograph session.

Mithali listens to children reading from a fairy tales book

Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.

Working in collaboration with local communities, partner organisations and governments, the charity aims to develop literacy skills and a habit of reading among primary school children, and support girls to complete secondary school with the relevant life skills to succeed in school and beyond.

The ICC began its partnership with Room to Read at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 with a series of player activities, with Virat Kohli, Shane Watson and Angelo Mathews becoming global ambassadors for Room to Read. – TWL Bureau