P N Panicker National Reading/ Digital Reading Month Celebrations
19th June 2021 - 18th July 2021
Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker is known as the Father of the Library Movement in the Indian state of Kerala. The activities of the Kerala Grandhasala Sanghom that he initiated triggered a popular cultural movement in Kerala which produced universal literacy in the state in the 1990s.
Panicker was born on 1 March 1909 in Jamjamjum to Govinda Pillai and Janaky Amma at Neelamperoor, India. In 1926 he started the Sanadanadharmam Library as a teacher in his hometown. He was a teacher and his influence on society was much greater than many of his time.
Panicker led the formation of Thiruvithaamkoor Granthasala Sangham (Travancore Library Association) in 1945 with 47 rural libraries. The slogan of the organization was ‘Read and Grow’. Later on, with the formation of Kerala State in 1956, it became Kerala Granthasala Sangham (KGS). He traveled to the villages of Kerala proclaiming the value of reading. He succeeded in bringing some 6,000 libraries into this network. Grandhasala Sangham won the prestigious ‘Krupsakaya Award’ from UNESCO in 1975.
Panicker took a keen interest in promoting Agricultural Books Corners, The Friendship Village Movement (Sauhrudagramam), Reading Programmes for Families, Grants for Books and building libraries and Best Reader’s Award P.N. Panicker Foundation.
Panicker died on 19 June 1995, at age 86. The Government of Kerala acknowledged his contributions and ordered that 19 June be observed, annually, as Vaayanadinam (Day of Reading) with a week-long series of activities at schools and public institutions to honor his contributions to the cause of literacy, education and library movement.
The P N Panicker Foundation and P N Panicker Vigyan Vikas Kendra have been observing the Reading Day, Reading Week, and Reading Month Celebrations since 19th June, 1996, the first annual remembrance day of Shri P N Panicker, the father of Library and Literacy Movement in Kerala.
Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, came down to Kerala and launched the 22nd National Reading/ Digital Reading Month Celebrations on 19th June, 2017 at Kochi. The Prime Minister gave a clarion call to propagate the message of Vayichu Valaruka (Read and Grow) to 300 million Indian citizens by 2022 when the country celebrate its 75th year of independence. The Prime Minister directed P.N. Panicker Foundation to promote digital reading also so as to use digital technology in all educational tools of the country.
The Government of Kerala and the Government of India through NITI Aayog has entrusted the responsibility of observing National Reading/ Digital Reading Month Celebrations to P N Panicker Foundation and P N Panicker Vigyan Vikas Kendra.
The 24th P N Panicker National Reading Day/ Digital Reading Month Celebrations were celebrated across all the States and Union Territories from 19th June to 18th July 2020 in digital mode was a commendable one in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic spread
The 25th - the Silver Jubilee Year - P N Panicker National Reading Day/ Digital Reading Month Celebrations 2021 are being celebrated as previous years in collaboration with Govt. of India, Ministry of Education, NITI Aayog, National Digitial Library of India (NDLI), Govt. of Kerala, P.N. Panicker Foundation, P.N. Panicker Vigyan Vikas Kendra and other various stakeholders from 19th June to 18th July, 2021.
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