JUNE 19- OBSERVED AS READING DAY

JUNE 19- OBSERVED
AS READING DAY

The Education department, in association with the Information and public Relations Department and the P.N panicker Foundation will be observing June 19 as reading day on the occasion on P.N Panicker commemoration

P.N Panicker Vigyan Kendra said the week from June 19 to 25 would be observed as reading week. The Vigyan Kendra will conduct series of programmes focusing on encouraging reading habit among school students in the state as part of the Reading week celebrations All schools in the state will convene a special assembly at 9.30 am on June 19 in which students will share their reading experience. The students will also felicitate their teachers at the function.
The School will also initiate programmes to establish reading clubs and P.N Panicker corners in School libraries. The reading clubs will organize debates and discussions on reading and literature, quiz programme, elocution competitions and interaction with literary figures

P.N Panicker

Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker is known as the Father of the Library Movement in  Kerala The activities of the Kerala Grandhasala Sanghom which was initiated by P. N. Panicker ignited a popular cultural movement in Kerala at the end of which the state acquired total literacy in the 1990s.Panicker was born on 1 March, 1909, as the son of Govinda Pillai and Janaky Amma. at Neelamperoor in Kottayam District. A teacher by profession.Panicker took leadership in forming Thiruvithaamkoor Granthasala Sangham  Library Association) in 1945 with 47 rural libraries. The slogan of the Sangham was “Read and Grow”. Later, with the formation of Kerala State in 1956, it became Kerala Granthasala Sangham (KGS). He traveled across the villages of Kerala propagating the message of reading and inviting active involvement of people. He succeeded in bringing about 6000 libraries into this network. Grandhasala Sangham won the prestigious ‘Krupsakaya Award’ from UNESCO in 1975. He was the General Secretary of Sangham for 32 years, until 1977, when the Sanghom was taken over by the Kerala State Government. Now it is called the Kerala State Library Council, with an in-built democratic structure and funding from the State Government.

In 1977, he founded the Kerala Association for Non-formal Education and Development (KANFED). KANFED was highly instrumental in starting the Kerala State Literacy Mission.

He has also taken keen interest in promoting Agricultural Books Corner, Friendship Village Movement (Sauhrudagramam), Reading Programmes for Families, Grants for Books and building libraries and Best Reader’s Award .pn panickerfoundation. He died on 19 June 1995, at the age of 86. The Government of Kerala observes 19 June annually as Vayanadinam (Day of Reading) with a week-long series of activities at schools and public institutions to honour the contributions of P.N. Panicker to the cause of literacy, education and library movement.The Department of Posts honoured Panicker by issuing a commemorative postage stamp on 21 June, 2004. His birth centenary is celebrated under the auspices of P. N. Panicker Foundation in 2010

A reading week will be observed from June 19 by various organisations including the Literacy Mission and Kudumbasree. Reading day will be observed on June 19 at a function to be held at SRV High Schoolauditorium. District Collector APM Mohammed Hanish, poet Chemmanam Chacko, Deputy Mayor C.K. Mani Sankar, Education Department Deputy Director M.B. Murali, District Information Officer P. Vinod, and SRV School Principal Ramesh Mohan will participate.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012: As part of the Reading Day  Kerala Kavya Kalasahithy  conducted various Literary Prograames at Kurakar Town Center,Kottarakra.  Prof. John Kurakar, President, Kerala Kavya Kala Sahithy, inaugurated the various programmes. The Government of Kerala observes 19 June annually as Vayanadinam (Day of Reading) with a week-long series of activities at schools and public institutions to honour the contributions of P.N. Panicker to the cause of literacy, education and library movement.

                                          Prof: John Kurakar