Dr. Geetha Murali’s journey with Room to Read, an organization dedicated to ending illiteracy and gender inequality, is deeply personal. As CEO, Murali’s commitment to transforming the lives of children through education stems from her belief in its power to break cycles of poverty and inequality globally.
“We’ve done a lot of reflection on [the] skill sets that children need, which are sort of those gatekeeper, foundational skills that allow [them] to overcome other limitations in their lives, and when you look at young children… the fundamental skill set you need is being able to read,” Murali shared with CNBC’s “Make It.” She emphasized how literacy opens up endless opportunities for learning and development. “Once you’re able to read, all of a sudden, the world opens up to you, and you can develop the learning pathways that can help you make good, informed choices.”
This insight is critical when considering the scale of the global literacy crisis. According to UNESCO’s 2024 report, about 754 million adults around the world remain illiterate, with two-thirds of them being women. Furthermore, an alarming 250 million children were not enrolled in school in 2023. To combat these challenges, Room to Read has been at the forefront of addressing foundational education gaps, having reached over 45 million children across 24 countries since its inception in 2000. The organization has invested approximately $850 million in improving foundational learning, a mission Murali has spearheaded since she joined the organization in 2009. Her leadership has been recognized by CNBC’s “Changemakers: Women Transforming Business,” a list that honors women whose work has made a lasting impact on the business world.
Murali’s passion for education and social impact is rooted in her personal history. Born in New York, she had access to a quality education—an opportunity her mother, raised in India, was denied. Murali’s family background reflects the stark contrast between her own educational experiences and those of her mother. “We came from a family where child marriage was quite the norm,” Murali explained. Her grandmothers were married at ages two and 14. Murali’s mother, despite her brilliance and the fact that she completed high school by age 12, faced societal pressure to marry instead of continuing her education. Although she harbored dreams of furthering her studies, her father prioritized sending their son to university over her education.
“There were three girls before him, and so with that, my mom kind of had this real sense of injustice,” Murali recalled. Her mother’s rebellious spirit led her to take matters into her own hands by attending community classes and eventually joining the Indian Army as a nurse. This decision became her gateway to the United States, where she worked hard to earn a degree and later became a successful biostatistician. Murali believes that her mother’s defiance against societal expectations created a ripple effect, leading to greater educational opportunities for the next generation in her family. “One decision that she made to not get married really created that ripple effect for an entire generation,” Murali remarked.
Murali’s mother’s perseverance and commitment to education inspired her throughout her own life. By age 22, Murali had earned a bachelor’s degree in biostatistics and a master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, all while working in the pharmaceutical industry. However, despite her early career successes, Murali felt unfulfilled. She questioned whether this path would truly bring her the satisfaction she sought. “I was, like, early 20s, with a great job, kind of looking around for the first time, going: ‘Is this really what I’m going to do for the next 45 years of my life?'” This inner conflict led her to pivot her career towards social impact.
Murali’s transition from the pharmaceutical industry to the social sector was sparked by her academic research. During her time at UC Berkeley, she began to explore South Asian studies and made several trips to India. These experiences opened her eyes to the real-life struggles faced by communities there. In one memorable conversation, Murali spoke with parents about basic community needs. “Some of the most meaningful [experiences] were really when we were doing surveys with parents… and when we were talking about expectations from government — it turned into expectations for me,” she said. The parents’ simple yet pressing requests, such as the need for streetlights or local schools, made Murali realize the importance of addressing these issues directly. “In the end, all the conversation we could have about… the various concepts that we were applying through my PhD process was not as important as the fact that I couldn’t get a light on the street,” she added.
Her experiences in India reaffirmed her resolve to pursue a career in social impact, which eventually led her to Room to Read. Murali’s leadership has kept the organization grounded in its mission to make measurable, direct change. Reflecting on her career, Murali shared several key lessons she has learned along the way: “What I try to share with others is that we’re not limited by what came before us. The human being, if given the basics… you are capable of so much more than you really think you are.” Her belief in the power of pushing beyond perceived limits has become a cornerstone of her leadership style.
Murali attributes her success to a combination of hard work and bold decision-making. “I wasn’t afraid of hard work. I was willing to put the hours in, and I was very achievement oriented,” she explained. As she gained confidence in her leadership, Murali became less concerned with incremental changes and more focused on taking bold steps to create lasting impact. “I’m sort of at the point where I believe that these basic rights should be a given, and the moves we have to make must be bold [in order] to make them happen,” she said.
To young people, Murali offers advice that emphasizes adaptability and pragmatism. “I think a plan is good, but not over planning. Like a GPS can be helpful, but don’t be afraid to do some off roading,” she suggests. Building strong, functional skill sets early in life is essential, as these skills can be applied in diverse fields and career paths. “In the end, having really strong, functional skill sets that you can apply is really the way that I would start my career,” she said.
Room to Read has achieved significant milestones under Murali’s leadership, including distributing over 42 million books and launching initiatives like “She Creates Change,” a project promoting gender equality through animation and live-action film. In addition to its foundational learning efforts, the organization places a strong emphasis on empowering adolescent girls with the skills they need to overcome challenges like early marriage, violence, and trafficking. “They have to figure out how to navigate in very practical terms and be able to negotiate with their families, negotiate with their communities to keep in school,” Murali noted.
Dr. Geetha Murali’s life and work demonstrate the transformative power of education, particularly for girls and young women, in breaking the barriers of illiteracy and gender inequality. Through Room to Read, she continues to create lasting change in the lives of millions of children, ensuring that education remains a powerful tool for social mobility and empowerment.
