Read a Page, Secure a Knowledge Bank
Reading is a habit, and consistency in good habits changes lives.
Reading shapes personalities and transforms human beings into compassionate and enlightened individuals. It builds values that guide us in daily life and practice.
Libraries are not merely centres for reading; they are centres of public discourse, civic awareness, and social development. They provide safe and open spaces for engaging, empowering, enabling, and educating communities, especially young minds.
Libraries play an important role in society. Even in this era of Artificial Intelligence, books continue to hold a unique place in human life. Technology may support learning, but books nourish wisdom, imagination, creativity, and character.
P. N. Panicker, the visionary architect of Kerala’s library revolution, transformed the cultural and intellectual landscape of the state through extraordinary dedication and resilience. His lifelong mission was to establish libraries even in the remotest villages of Kerala. In 1935, he began by collecting books from homes in his village and storing them in a small reading centre. According to Panicker, books were the best medicine for the mind.
The slogan:
“വായിച്ചു വളരുക, ചിന്തിച്ചു വിവേകം നേടുക”
(“Read and grow, think and gain wisdom”)
is widely attributed to P. N. Panicker and became the guiding philosophy of Kerala’s literacy and reading movement.
P. N. Panicker worked for the reading, literacy, and library movement in India for nearly five decades. He began grassroots library initiatives in the 1930s and continued actively leading literacy and library movements until his passing in 1995.
Taking this legacy forward, Dr. N. Balagopal dedicated his life to promoting reading and writing across India. READ India contributed significantly by establishing Community Library and Resource Centres in rural areas, spreading the message of “Read and Grow.” This mission continues today with many more individuals and organizations joining the movement.
In his memory, June 19 is observed as National Reading Day in India. In 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the P. N. Panicker National Reading Day–Reading Month celebrations, giving the observance national recognition. READ India has been a leading partner in advancing and celebrating this mission of reading and literacy across communities.
The importance of Libraries was envisioned pre-independence by the stalwarts such as P. N. Panicker resulting in building organizations like P N Panicker Foundation. In 1991, Dr. Antonia Neubauer, translated her vision by forming READ Global, and the offshoot was READ India in India. Through their mentors, leadership, and dedicated teams, they transformed reading into a people’s movement by taking books at the doorsteps of rural communities across the country. Their efforts helped people realize the importance of books and reading for personal growth and social transformation. There are many more who believe in this model which are not mentioned here. I salute all librarians who have dedicated their lives to serving society through books and knowledge, carrying forward the timeless message: “READ and GROW.” Let us continue to value books and sincere reading habits so that we may preserve the priceless legacy left behind by our ancestors. The younger generation will surely recognize the value of this treasure — a treasure that will never fade with time. Create a small library in your home and leave it as a priceless inheritance for your family. Only then can we truly transform dreams into action.
