National Reading Day 2021: Silver jubilee year of P N Panicker movement to promote reading

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.

India celebrates June 19 as the National Reading Day in honour of P N Panicker, the father of the Library and Literacy Movement in Kerala. This year marks the silver jubilee year or the 25th edition of the celebrations.

Representational: In 1996, the day began as the movement to promote a culture of reading to inculcate the habit of reading. (HT PHOTO.)

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. The P N Panicker national reading day and digital reading month will be celebrated from June 19 to July 18, 2021. Just like previous years, the mass movement to promote the culture of reading will be celebrated in collaboration with the government of India, the ministry of education, NITI Aayog, the national digital library of India (NDLI), the government of Kerala, P.N. Panicker Foundation, P.N. Panicker Vigyan Vikas Kendra and other stakeholders.

Many reading-related activities will be organized on the occasion like webinars on the importance of reading, digital library and intellectual property rights, Covid-19 awareness, green economy etc. There will also be a digital reading pledge and other reading competitions for school students like quizzes, open art, essay writing.

Reading competitions for college students involve quiz, open art, debate, for teachers, librarians and faculty involve quiz and video book.

In 1996, the day began as the movement to promote a culture of reading to inculcate the habit of reading and promote book-mindedness among school children, youth as well as the underprivileged population of the country, according to the foundation.

In June 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kerala and launched the 22nd national reading day and digital reading month celebrations. The Prime Minister gave a clarion call to promote the message of Vayichu Valaruka or read and grow to 300 million people across the country by 2022 when India will celebrate its 75th year of independence.

The PM directed the foundation to promote digital reading to propagate the use of digital technology in all educational tools of the country in 2017. Since past year, digital tools in education is the primary tool of schooling after the coronavirus pandemic hit the world.

The government of Kerala and the central government through NITI Aayog has entrusted P N Panicker Foundation and P N Panicker Vigyan Vikas Kendra with the responsibility of observing national reading day and digital reading month every year.