How a child’s question about bears sparked Karadi Tales

Chennai: Three decades ago, a little boy’s innocent question led to the creation of one of India’s most beloved children’s storytelling brands.

As parents CP Viswanath and Shobha Viswanath searched through Panchatantra and Jataka Tales for stories to tell their son, they noticed a gap. Lions, jackals, and monkeys filled Indian folklore, but the bear was strangely missing.

When their son asked why, they replied: “Maybe the bear is the one telling all the stories.”That answer became the seed for Karadi Tales. Karadi means bear in several South Indian languages. Founded in the mid-1990s, the brand has since grown from audio cassettes narrated by Indian actors into books, animation, and digital content, becoming a staple for generations of young listeners and readers across the country.