How a former techie turned his moped into a moving library

November 5, 2025 Unknown Wizards Valli Sarvani

In the bustling tech corridors of Chennai, where servers hummed and codes blinked endlessly, Kumizhmunai J. Simon Aravinth Singh once lived a life of structure and predictability.

But beneath the comfort of a stable IT job, a quiet restlessness stirred, the longing for a purpose that transcended paychecks and performance reviews.

In 2016, Simon packed up his corporate life and returned to his hometown, Thoothukudi.

What followed was not a midlife detour but a journey of rediscovery, one that would eventually transform a humble TVS moped into a beacon of learning and literary freedom.

In April 2024, Simon launched his bike library, a one-of-a-kind initiative that brings books to the streets.

Every evening at 8 p.m., on Palayamkottai Road, his mobile library opens up under the streetlights, with books hanging on twines and readers squatting on the pavement.

From children clutching storybooks to office-goers seeking quiet solace, the scene turns the roadside into a community of readers.

The library is divided into three sections: children’s books, works by emerging writers, and publications from Simon’s own imprint, Kumizhmunai Publications.

Simon’s journey with books began in his school days, but it was while reading Na Muthukumar’s Anilaadum Moondril that he decided to walk away from his IT career.

After returning home, he balanced teaching computer courses with writing, eventually giving full rein to his literary calling.

The bike library soon evolved into a vibrant reader’s circle. It now hosts daily poetry contests, monthly literary discussions, and book reading challenges, where winners take home boxes of books instead of trophies.

Through his visits to book fairs, Simon noticed how young and emerging authors struggled for recognition.

To bridge that gap, he launched Kumizhmunai Publications in April 2024, focusing on children’s literature and new writers.

In just months, the publishing house has released over 40 books, offering full royalties to authors and keeping only a minimal profit.

With over 2,000 books in his personal collection and growing footfall each evening, Simon’s bike library has become more than a reading corner; it’s a grassroots literary revolution.

Plans are already in motion to take this model to Erode and Thanjavur, inspiring a new generation to read, write, and dream.

From network cables to book spines, Simon’s journey reflects a profound truth: that sometimes, purpose rides on two wheels and carries the wisdom of a thousand pages.

Image from Pxhere (Free for commercial use / CC0 Public Domain)

Image Published on December 27, 2016