How I Taught My Grandmother to Read NCERT Solutions, Summary and Important Questions PDF
Welcome , students! Are you preparing for your CBSE Class 9 exams and looking for the perfect notes? Tension lene ki bilkul zaroorat nahi hai! In this detailed guide, we are covering everything you need to know about Class 9 Chapter 1: How I Taught My Grandmother to Read by Sudha Murty. This beautiful chapter teaches us that learning has no age limit. It is a highly scoring chapter for your board exams and school assessments. Whether you are aiming to top your class in 2026 or just want to understand the story better, this post is your ultimate study companion. Pura chapter aaram se samajh aa jayega!
Download PDFJoin TelegramLearning Objectives
- Understand the central theme that education and learning have no age bar.
- Analyze the character sketch of the grandmother (Krishtakka) and the young granddaughter (Sudha Murty).
- Appreciate the emotional bond between a grandparent and a grandchild.
- Answer all textual and board-level questions with proper vocabulary.
- Realize the importance of independence and self-reliance through literacy.
Key Concepts and Terms
- Krishtakka: The 62-year-old grandmother who is determined to learn how to read.
- The Narrator (Sudha): A 12-year-old girl who becomes her grandmother's teacher.
- Kashi Yatre: A popular Kannada novel written by the famous author Triveni. The story revolves around an old lady whose burning desire is to visit Kashi.
- Karmaveera: The Kannada weekly magazine in which the novel Kashi Yatre was appearing as a serial.
- Avva: The affectionate term used for the grandmother.
- Saraswati Pooja: The day of the Dassara festival when the grandmother finally reads the novel independently and gifts a dress to her granddaughter.
Full NCERT Solutions
Q1: What made the grandmother identify herself with the protagonist of 'Kashi Yatre'?
Ans: The grandmother, Krishtakka, had never been to Kashi (Varanasi), much like the old lady in the novel Kashi Yatre . In Hindu tradition, visiting Kashi is considered the ultimate pilgrimage to attain salvation. Since both the grandmother and the fictional character shared the same unfulfilled, passionate desire to visit the holy city, Krishtakka felt a deep emotional connection and identified herself with the protagonist.
Q2: Why did the grandmother depend on her granddaughter to know the story?
Ans: The grandmother was unlettered (illiterate) because she never went to school as a child. When the magazine Karmaveera arrived every week, she could not read the latest episode of Kashi Yatre herself. Therefore, she was entirely dependent on her 12-year-old granddaughter to read the story aloud to her.
Q3: Why did the grandmother touch her granddaughter's feet?
Ans: The grandmother touched her granddaughter's feet as a mark of deep respect. Even though the narrator was much younger, she had acted as a devoted teacher who taught the grandmother how to read Kannada. In Indian culture, touching the feet of a 'Guru' (teacher) is a traditional way to show reverence, proving that the grandmother valued knowledge over age.
Q4: What was the grandmother's deadline to learn the Kannada alphabet?
Ans: The grandmother set a strict deadline to learn the Kannada alphabet by the Dassara festival (Saraswati Pooja day). She was highly determined to become independent so that she could read the novel Kashi Yatre on her own without seeking anyone's help.
Q5: How did the narrator help her grandmother fulfill her desire to read?
Ans: The young narrator took on the role of a patient teacher. She started by teaching her grandmother the Kannada alphabet. They worked hard together; the grandmother would read, repeat, write, and recite. The narrator supported her grandmother's dedication and helped her practice daily until she achieved her goal by Dassara.
Extra Important Questions for 2026 Exams
Practice Q1: Who is the author of the novel 'Kashi Yatre'? A) Sudha Murty B) Triveni C) Krishtakka D) R.K. Narayan
Ans: Triveni
Practice Q2: What was the name of the magazine that published the serial? A) Kashi Yatre B) Karmaveera C) Kannada Prabha D) Saraswati
Ans: Karmaveera
Practice Q3: At what age did the grandmother decide to learn how to read? A) 12 B) 50 C) 62 D) 70
Ans: 62
Practice Q4: Why was the narrator surprised when she saw her grandmother crying?
Ans: The narrator was shocked because her grandmother was a strong-willed and resilient woman. She had never seen her grandmother cry before, even in the most difficult situations. Seeing tears in her eyes made the narrator realize that something was deeply bothering her.
Practice Q5: "For learning, there is no age bar." How does the grandmother prove this?
Ans: At the age of 62, an age where most people retire from active duties, the grandmother decided to learn the Kannada alphabet. Through sheer dedication, hard work, and daily practice, she achieved her goal in a few months, proving that age is just a number when you have determination.
Practice Q6: What gift did the grandmother give to the narrator on Saraswati Pooja?
Ans: On the day of Saraswati Pooja, after successfully reading the title of the novel independently, the grandmother gifted the narrator a piece of dress material as a token of love and respect for her 'teacher'.
Practice Q7: Why couldn't the grandmother go to school when she was young?
Ans: In those days, educating girls was not considered essential. Additionally, she lost her mother at a very young age, and as the eldest child, the responsibility of cooking and taking care of the family fell on her shoulders. She was married off early and had children.
Practice Q8: Draw a character sketch of the grandmother (Krishtakka).
Ans: Krishtakka was a 62-year-old traditional lady who was highly devoted and emotional. Though unlettered, she possessed immense willpower. She was humble enough to accept a 12-year-old child as her teacher and dedicated enough to do her homework diligently. Her touching her granddaughter's feet shows her deep respect for knowledge and the 'Guru' tradition. She represents the triumph of determination.
Practice Q9: Describe the role of the narrator in making her grandmother literate.
Ans: The narrator acted as an enthusiastic, patient, and mature teacher. When the grandmother expressed her desire to learn, the narrator initially laughed but soon understood the depth of her grandmother's sorrow. She systematically taught her the alphabet and encouraged her. The narrator's unwavering support transformed the grandmother from a dependent old lady to a confident, independent reader.
Practice Q10: How is 'Kashi Yatre' symbolic of the grandmother's own journey?
Ans: In 'Kashi Yatre', the old protagonist sacrifices her savings for a young girl's wedding instead of visiting Kashi, finding salvation in a good deed. Similarly, the grandmother's journey isn't to a physical place, but towards literacy and independence. Overcoming the darkness of illiteracy was her own spiritual journey, making her self-reliant.
Practice Q11: Who is the speaker and who is the listener?
Ans: The speaker is the grandmother (Krishtakka), and the listener is her 12-year-old granddaughter (Sudha Murty).
Practice Q12: Why did the speaker touch the listener's feet?
Ans: To show respect to her 'teacher' who made her independent by teaching her how to read.
Practice Q13: What is the tone of the speaker in these lines?
Ans: The tone is highly respectful, emotional, and filled with immense gratitude.
Practice Q14: Assertion (A): The grandmother rubbed her hands over the pages of the magazine when the narrator was away. Reason (R): She was trying to feel the pictures and understand the story since she could not read.
Ans: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A. The grandmother felt helpless without her granddaughter to read for her, leading to this emotional action.
Practice Q15: Assertion (A): The narrator laughed when the grandmother asked her to teach the alphabet. Reason (R): The narrator thought learning at the age of 62 was an impossible and funny idea.
Ans: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A. As a child, the narrator found the idea of an old grandmother doing homework highly amusing.