India celebrates National Reading Day on 19th June to honour P N Panicker.
The P N Panicker Foundation and P N Panicker Vigyan Vikas Kendra have been observing the national reading day, reading week and reading month since June 19, 1996. P N Panicker is the founding father of Libraries as well as the Literacy Movement in Kerala.
Who is P. N. Panicker?
Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker is the founder of the library movement. He was born on 1st March 1909 and breathed his last on 19th June 1995. People observe the National Reading Day on his death anniversary to pay tribute to his contribution to reading and literacy.
What is National Reading Day?
The P N Panicker Vigyan Vikas Kendra and P N Panicker Foundation have been celebrating the reading day since 19th June 1996. They also observe a digital reading month and reading week nationally. The reason behind celebrating this day is to promote the reading culture and support literacy. Also, the Kerala Government named this day Vaayanadinam, which means “National Reading Day.”
The following stakeholders collaborate every year to observe this day:
P.N. Panicker Foundation
P.N. Panicker Vigyan Vikas Kendra
The Government of India
The Government of Kerala
NITI Aayog
The Ministry of Education
The National Digital Library of India (NDLI)
Other stakeholders.
P. N. Panicker and His Role in promoting Reading-
This man dedicated his life as a teacher and contributed much more than other contemporary teachers of his time. He knew that education was the only key to developing society. Therefore, he established Sanadanadharmam Library in his birthplace.
However, it was just the beginning of his endeavours’ success, which gradually proliferated. He became the founder of Thiruvithaamkoor Granthasala Sangham or the modern-day Travancore Library Association in 1945. This association undertook almost 47 rural libraries with a slogan of reading, growing, and encapsulating the significance of reading in someone’s life.
He travelled throughout the country to educate people about the value of reading. He successfully brought 6000 libraries within his network in his lifetime. Consequently, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) awarded his organisation the prestigious ‘Krupsakaya Award’ in 1975.
He remained the general secretary of this association for 32 years. Nevertheless, the State government took over the Travancore Library Association in 1977 and renamed it Kerala State Library Council.
Influence of Panicker in Literacy Rate of Kerala
Panicker was disheartened with the political intervention after his Sangham turned into a state’s association. Consequently, he started the KANFED or Kerala Association for Non-formal Education and Development. It aimed to increase the state’s literacy rate and influenced the literacy mission. As a result, Panicker’s KANFED left its significant contribution to Kerala’s 100% universal literacy rate.
Important Information on National Reading Day-
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 22nd national reading day and digital reading month celebrations in June 2017 on his visit to Kerala.
He also appealed to promote “read and grow” to at least 300 million people over the nation by 15th August 2022.
Lastly, he governed the P.N. Panicker Foundation to propagate digital reading and usage of digital technology in education in 2017.
Panicker understood that libraries act as gateways to education and knowledge and play a key role in developing society. They shape the fundamentals of the youth and create opportunities to come across new ideas and perspectives. Therefore, India celebrates National Reading Day to recognise his remarkable contribution to education.
LIBRARY KV MRN MATHURA
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