National Reading Day: Promoting Reading Among People

 The National Reading Day is a tribute to PN Panicker, who played a significant role in the literacy movement in India. Reading helps in improving memory and creativity as well as helps to reduce stress.

Representational Picture (Getty Pictures)

Hyderabad: India observes the National Reading Day on June 19 to mark the death anniversary of Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker, referred to as PN Panicker, a well-known educator and founder of the Keralan library movement.

History:

In 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared June 19 as the National Reading Day.

Way back in 1926, Panicker, who worked as a teacher in his hometown founded his first library. Slowly, he started 47 local libraries in order to promote reading habits among people. The libraries were set up under Travancore Library Association, which was established in 1945. Panikar’s Kerala Grandhasala Sangham spearheaded a popular cultural movement across the state.

PN Panicker, Father of Library Movement in India:

He was born in Jamjamjun in 1901. He became a teacher after completing his studies with distinction. It is believed that his work motivated him to encourage literacy in Kerala. Kerala Granthasala Sangham (KGS) was founded in 1945 thanks to Panicker's initiative. People refer to it as Travancore Library Association. The KGS network expanded to 6,000 more libraries in the state and even won UNESCO Krupsakaya Award in 1975.

Benefits Of Reading:

• Improves memory.
• Books can replace screen time.
• Improves communication skills.
• It inspires creativity.
• Builds your vocabulary.
• Reduces stress.
• Improves sleep.
• Helps alleviate depression symptoms.
• Reading is a form of entertainment.
• Helps in knowledge expansion.
• Teaches empathy.
• Improve attention and focus.
• Increases life span.

Books for beginners

• The Alchemist:

A classic novel with a boy named Santiago embarking on a journey of seeking treasures in Egyptian Pyramids after having recurring dreams about it. He falls in love and also learns the importance of focusing on the right things in life.

• The Kite Runner:

It is a powerful, one-of-a-kind, and an exceptional classic. The bond between a wealthy youngster and the son of his father's servant is at the centre of the narrative and conveys a powerful message.

• To Kill A Mockingbird:

It is a dramatic, profoundly emotional and incredibly humane story that transports readers to the earliest stages of human history. Harper Lee examines feelings of harshness, sensitivity, and innocence.

• Diary of a Young Girl:

The young Anne Frank writes about her family's struggles to flee Nazi Germany's fascist government in her diary. Her two years at "The Secret Annexe," from the age of thirteen to fifteen, when they were found, are chronicled in the diary.

• Normal People:

Connell and Marianne, two young adults, are at the centre of the narrative. The plot revolves around the complications of friendship and family as well as everything that comes with first love.

Declining reading trend:

The era of reading books as the favorite past time has come to an end due to the ease with which digital media can now be consumed and the attraction of entertainment that is screen-based.

One of the main causes of the reduction in conventional reading habits is the increase in screen usage. The allure of rolling up with a book has drastically faded in an era where mobile phones are commonplace, streaming services provide limitless entertainment, and social media platforms offer quick pleasure. These digital media disrupt our expectations of entertainment.

The loss of reading is also greatly influenced by our fast-paced way of life. The constant quest of efficiency characterises modern life, leaving little time or patience for leisure pursuits like reading. It might be difficult for the modern person to find time to read because of their ever-increasing workloads and the hectic pace of everyday life.

Lastly, there has been a notable change in entertainment and education choices that has affected reading habits. Multimedia learning and digital literacy are becoming more and more important in educational settings, frequently at the expense of traditional reading. At the same time, it appears that people favour entertaining content over educational content.

Quotes About Reading

• “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” - George R.R. Martin
• “Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” - Jim Rohn
• “Think before you speak. Read before you think.” - Fran Lebowitz
• “That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.” - Jhumpa Lahiri
• “The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest (people) of the past centuries.” - Descartes
• “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” - Margaret Fuller
• “Reading brings us unknown friends” - Honoré de Balzac
• “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island.” - Walt Disney
• “Some books leave us free and some books make us free.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “A book is a gift you can open again and again.” - Garrison Keillor
• Source: https://www.etvbharat.com/en/!offbeat/national-reading-day-2024-history-significance-few-must-read-books-enn24061805757
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National Reading Day 19th June 2024 ON BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF P N Panicker

 

National Reading Day 2024, 19 June – Theme, History, Quotes, Significance

 

National Reading Day 2024 is celebrated on the 19th of June all across the country to honor the works of Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker who is often referred to as the ‘Father of India’s Library Movement’. It is in this connection that one must understand the legacy of P. N. Panicker, a great teacher and educationist of Kerala origin, who unconditionally strived for the cause of educating and writing for India till his last days.

He firmly believed that reading and becoming enlightened through books formed the bedrock of individual and social transformation. He was involved in the provision of the first public library in the region of Kerala in 1945 and later became the leader of the library movement in the region.

To pay homage to his tireless efforts to enhance the importance and practice of reading and education, the Indian government passed a law and marked June 19th as National Reading Day in 1996. It is celebrated across the country by encouraging people to read books and engage themselves in any form of reading.

Significance of National Reading Day

The day is aimed at commemorating the efforts of PN Panicker in changing society through the use of literary skills in India. The Father of Reading died on 19 June 1995. Sanadana Dharma Library established by PN Panicker and hence, he known as the founder of the library movement in Kerala.

In addition to the National Reading Day held on the death anniversary of Munshi Premchand, the Ministry of Education of Kerala has specifically designated a week for reading called Vayana Varam starting on 19th June every year. He was equally instrumental in the formation of the Kerala Association for Non-Formal Education and development-KANFED. KANFED was actively participating in the eradication of illiteracy and creating awareness of Education among the masses in rural sectors.

The effects of the movement can also seen in the literacy survey in India and the state of Kerala among the highest in the country in terms of literacy. They promote the love for reading and persuade people to embrace the pleasure of reading as well as the value that embedded in books.

History of PN Panicker

Kerala literature propagated and the prestigious Travancore Palace Library developed through the Kerala Granthshala Sangham (KGS) which originally known as the Travancore Literary Association under the leadership of PN Panicker. This association comprised of a total of 47 local libraries and this association worked at the grassroots level with the main aim of providing education.

Five years after the formation of Kerala in 1956, KGS extended to thousand six hundred more libraries in the state. Under the leadership of PN Panicker, the KGS network also got a lot of name and fame, it even received the UNESCO Krupsakaya Award in 1975.

How to Celebrate National Reading Day

1. Read a book: Of course, that is the idea about the day but you can always add entertainment by joining a reading challenge. Search for “reading challenge” images and you will surprised by a wide array of checklists and tips on choosing the books that will challenge and inspire your imagination, as well as on choosing a book that will certainly you hooked.

2. Volunteer with your local library: It might just be so that you are in a position to have a local public library that way always needs volunteers. Libraries are very important for the communities as they provide children with a safe place along with many other services that are rather peculiar for a library.

Many of the community meetings held in libraries and several act as voting stations during the election period. You can donate books to your community to pass knowledge sharing and it has found that many book donations help to complete collections of stocks available.

3. Try to share your passion with one person: Make someone a reader and take them your favorite reads. Be sure to read to your children to extend this love for books to all of your kids. It also can mean reading to another person who cannot read due to old age or any other reason you come across. Not only is it good for the brain and your stress but it is an activity that further forms a bond that they would cherish and again it helps with their brain as well.

Way Forward

June 19th is National Reading Day, an occasion to commemorate P.N. Panicker, the pioneer of the Indian library movement, and his lasting influence. His steadfast commitment to education and literacy set the groundwork for reading to transform society. Let’s enjoy the happiness and wisdom that books provide as we commemorate this day. We can all help to promote a reading culture, whether it is by reading a new book, lending a hand at the neighborhood library, or telling someone else about one of our favorite stories. By working together, we can carry on Panicker’s goal of advancing education and literacy for the coming generations.

Source: https://www.allworlddays.com/national-reading-day/