About Bharat Babies
Bharat Babies is an independent publishing house that is committed to producing diverse kids lit for a diverse world. Since 2014 the company has produced nine titles including board books, illustrated books, and early readers that are inspired by the stories of India and beyond.
We believe in creating stories that reflect a community's reality and work to ensure that communities of color have an active role in sharing the stories of their culture, history, and heritage. Our unique process of editing helps to ensure our stories reflect the lived realities of the communities we look to represent.
We believe that all children should hear and see the stories of all cultures, starting right at birth. With Bharat Babies, we're starting with the stories of India and South Asia, but this is only the beginning of our journey. Our vision and mission is to help ensure that every child's story is told and that every child can be the hero.
The next generation of global citizens are just starting their journeys and diverse books are one of the tools they need to become culturally literate citizens of the world.
How can $25K help?
With $5K Bharat Babies can hire an author and illustrator to start work on our next board book (it is cute and features our first male Hindu character).
With $10K Bharat Babies can hire TWO authors and illustrators to start work on our next board book and illustrated book about Ganesh (the script made our CEO cry).
With $15K Bharat Babies can hire THREE authors and illustrators to start work on our board book, an illustrated book, and two early readers about Indian STEM figures (ok, actually these two scripts ALSO made us cry).
With $20K Bharat Babies can hire FOUR authors and illustrators to start work on TWO board books, TWO illustrated books, and THREE early readers (maybe we're just sensitive, but, we cried).
Finally, with $25K we do all of the above PLUS begin translating our books into our Indian languages and start production.
Founding Team
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Sailaja N. Joshi
CEO and Founder
Growing up, Sailaja was a voracious reader. From Leo the Lop to Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Amelia Bedelia, she loved every book she read. If you were to ask her today what her favorite book is, she'd likely say either the Harry Potter series OR The Tao of Pooh. It really depends on the day.
Sailaja has been a passionate volunteer in the Hindu Youth community for over twenty years and is an accomplished academic with degrees from Northeastern University, Harvard University, and Simmons College. She has also worked with multiple startups, helping them to refine their brand identity and develop their marketing communications. Her unique set of skills and experience help to her to drive Bharat Babies forward. Her ambition is to have Bharat Babies be an active participant in the field of multicultural children’s literature, moving forward with the belief that we need diverse kids lit for a diverse world. When she's not working to change the face of children's publishing, she can be founded hanging with her two adorable children at the park or at circus class (really, that's a thing).
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Megan Boshuyzen
Creative Director
Megan grew up with a love for reading, growing up on Nancy Drew and The Boxcar Children until the likes of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings took over her life. As Creative Director, Megan is in charge of maintaining the Bharat Babies brand. Megan received her Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Graphics/ Digital Arts at Springfield College with minors in Music and Religion. In her spare time, Megan can be found behind her camera taking photos of her two dogs Orly and Momo, and teaming up with rescues to help dogs in need. She is passionate about art, design, animals, and cultural education.
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SriVani Yerramilli
Cultural Director
SriVani grew up in the pages of Harold and the Purple Crayon, Harry Potter, and Hinduism’s greatest epics. She learned to find a great love and appreciation for the many tales rooted in Hinduism, as they not only taught valuable lessons but provided a glimpse into her colorful heritage. At Bharat Babies SriVani provides insight and knowledge into the Hindu Community and helps to ensure stories and illustrations accurately portray the community's experience. She is a native of Boston, earning her Bachelors in Biology from Northeastern University and her Masters in Health Communication from Boston University. SriVani is passionate about food, cooking, and healthcare and Hindu American advocacy. When she's not changing the face of children's publishing, she's hanging with her dog Kenobie and hubby in and around the Bay Area.
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Join the movement to raise culturally literate global citizens
In giving to our crowdfunding campaign you're not just getting some really cool swag. You're committing to raise the next generation of cultural literate global citizens. You're saying you believe in diversity and that you believe that every child should have their story told.
So join the movement (and get some really cool swag).
Book Reviews
See what people have today about some of our current titles:
"This book is so well written and really inspires our female youth to pursue higher education, especially in STEM fields. It was creative and capturing! I love it and I will be gifting it to all my nieces and nephews."
- Apurva, Sarla in the Sky
"I was so happy to find this company when looking for diverse books for my classroom. It is so important for us to show young kids different cultures to teach tolerance and diversity at a young age. These Bharat Babies books will be a staple in my classroom!"
- Kelly, Let's Celebrate Diwali
"Loved this book. Got it for my 3 yr old and we have discussed religion and so many questions already! And such colorful pages keeps my daughter asking for it."
- Emily, Amal's Eid
Meet the Bharat Babies Kids
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Meet Amal and Youseff
Amal is a twelve-year-old Bengali-American boy, living in Queens. Like most twelve-year-old boys, he is a big fan of sports (like soccer), hanging out with his friends (hi Kesha!) and eating. He's a proud Muslim American boy and loves sharing his faith with his friends and family. You can meet him in our illustrated book Amal's Eid and Amal's Ramadan.
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Meet Padmini
Padmini is the chief mischief-maker here at the Bharat Babies family. She revels in playing soccer, building all sorts of stuff with her blocks, doing yoga with her pal Harini and hanging out in general. She and her moms are big fans of reading (obviously) and love milkshakes and chocolate cake (again, obviously). You can find Padmini in Padmini is Powerful and Harini and Padmini Say Namaste.
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Meet Harini
Harini loves sailboats, hanging with her pet chipmunk, doing yoga with her pal Padmini and hearing her Amma's stories. She loves following rules, jumping in mud puddles and hanging out with her classmates. You can follow her adventures in Hanuman and the Orange Sun, Hanuman Moves a Mountain, Let's Celebrate Diwali, and Harini and Padmini Say Namaste.
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