National Reading Day : 19th June
2021
The National Education Policy 2020 has placed emphasis on ‘how to read’,
‘learn to read’, read to learn’ and underscored the critical role played by
Public/School/Digital libraries towards this end. The P. N. Panicker Foundation
has been a key contributor in this area.
Honouring the father of the Library Movement, the late P.N. Panicker,
19th June is being celebrated as Reading Day and the following week as the
Reading Week. Started as a Reading Day Celebration on 19th June 1996, it has
become a mass movement to promote the culture of reading. On 19th June 2017,
Honourable Prime Minister launched the 22nd National Reading Month Celebrations
and gave a clarion call to propagate the message of ‘Read and Grow’ among all
the citizens of the country by 2022.
P.N. Panicker was born at Neelamperoor on March 1, 1901. He was a
teacher in his hometown and then later on started Sanadanadharmam Library in
1926. Being the head of the cultural movement regarding reading in Kerala, he
gained popularity. And further movement became more intense.
According to him, reading was the most essential element for the proper
development of the country. The slogan of the P.N. foundation was “read and
grow”. It symbolises the importance of reading in his opinion.
The foundation has laid down the
online reading activities for this year on its official website. These activities
include digital library, webinar on the importance of reading, digital reading
pledge and so on.
The Foundation has suggested quiz, open art, essay writing and debate
competitions for students. It has also organized a quiz and video book competition
for the teachers, faculty members, and librarians.
The Government of India has also celebrated the legacy of Panicker by
issuing a commemorative postage stamp in his name on June 21, 2004.
The 26th National Reading Day will be
celebrated on 19th June 2021, the following week as Reading Week and Reading
Month will be celebrated from 19th June to 18th July 2021. In the light of
COVID19 pandemic, the P.N. Panicker Foundation has initiated and designed
different online reading related activities. The details of these activities
are available at the link: https://www.pnpanickerfoundation.org
