Kathalaya's International Academy of Storytelling (KIAS)

Kathalaya's International Academy of Storytelling (KIAS) is the flagship training institute of Kathalaya Trust, a pioneer of India's contemporary storytelling movement established in 1998 by master storyteller Geeta Ramanujam. The academy trains educators, professionals, and children in the art of storytelling as a tool for communication, learning, and emotional connection. Kathalaya's founding philosophy holds that stories connect hearts, nurture empathy, and inspire change, a principle carried into its accredited courses, school programs, and corporate training modules. The academy is affiliated with international institutions including the University of Gothenburg and the University of Skovde in Sweden and the Scottish Storytelling Centre in the UK, and has collaborated with NCERT and Azim Premji University in India. The academy's portfolio spans multi-level accredited storytelling courses for adults, a structured Story-Based Learning Classroom Curriculum aligned with NCERT and NEP guidelines for schools, and dedicated children's programs including short certified courses, in-school storytelling sessions, and family storytelling events. Since 1998, Kathalaya has trained over 99,000 educators and storytellers and reports reaching more than 500,000 children through its programs across India and internationally.