Reading vital to social development: Bindu
Stressing the importance of reading for social development, Minister for Higher Education R. Bindu inaugurated the State-level observance of Reading Week organised by the Kerala State Library Council here on Thursday.
The Minister lauded the council as a unique and commendable movement that had made significant contributions to Kerala's social, cultural, and intellectual landscape.
'The era of literacy movement was the most culturally dynamic period in our history. This moment calls us to reclaim that spirit — reviving the energy and atmosphere of those times to inspire our youth and students towards a culture of reading and active civic engagement,' she said.
Reading Day is observed on June 19 in memory of P.N. Panicker, the visionary who championed the message 'Read and Grow, Think and Become Wise.'
The celebration will continue until July 7, the birth anniversary of I.V. Das, a key figure in Kerala's library movement, with the aim of making reading and libraries more accessible and people-centred across the State.
K.V. Kunjikrishnan, president of the Kerala State Library Council, presided over the function. Writer and speaker K.E.N. Kunhahammed delivered the keynote address on the topic 'Conflicts in Reading.'
Murali Perunelli, MLA, president of the District Library Council, delivered the Reading Day message, while council member T.K. Vasu paid tributes to P.N. Panicker. Thudi music-dance performance by the Kerala Kalamandalam added colour to the event.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
NSS amasses ₹4.5 crore for Wayanad disaster rehabilitation
National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers under the Higher Education department have mobilised ₹4.5 crore as the first phase of funding to construct houses for the victims of the Chooralmala landslides in Wayanad on July 30, 2024. The fund will be handed over to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Kannur on June 30. The next phase of the campaign will begin on July 1, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu said at a press conference here on Friday. In the aftermath of the devastating landslides, NSS units across the State had launched vigorous fundraising initiatives including waste paper challenge, biryani challenge, art exhibitions, food fairs, Onam fests and product sales. The volunteers also helped collect and distribute essential items, educational materials, laptops and mobile phones for the affected students in Wayanad through campaigns such as 'Back to School/College'.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- The Hindu
Kerala University to seek legal recourse for clashes during Governor's event
Kerala University has decided to initiate legal proceedings over the ruckus that unfolded during a function attended by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Wednesday. The Cantonment police have registered cases in connection with the clash that erupted outside the Senate Hall on the university premises during an event organised by Sree Padmanabha Seva Samiti. Activists of the Students Federation of India, Kerala Students Union and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad were engaged in confrontation, prompting forceful measures from the police. The university has submitted a letter to the State Police Chief, seeking a detailed investigation into the issue triggered by the 'Bharat Mata' controversy. Accusing the organisers of defying university guidelines, official sources pointed out that the venue had been temporarily allocated for the event after acceptance of rules, which included not indulging in 'religious worship, speeches, or discourses.' 'However, when it came to the attention of the authorities that the organisers violated this condition, the Registrar intervened and requested that the event be stopped immediately. The organisers were informed that the permission for the hall would be revoked if they continued with the 'religious' programme. Subsequently, the university cancelled the permission to use the hall. The Registrar's complaint to the State Police Chief was based on the unauthorised use of the hall, with the organisers violating the university's secular stance,' the university stated. It has also been decided to seek compensation for the damages sustained on its premises as a result of the clashes. The university's Engineering wing has been tasked with evaluating the extent of the destruction. Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu on Thursday (June 26) condemned the actions of the Governor and accused him of attempting to introduce partisan politics into the academic environment. 'Universities must be spaces that promote secularism, where students and teachers from all walks of life, irrespective of their religion or caste, come together to learn and teach. These institutions must remain free from any political interference,' she asserted. The Minister also expressed concern over the negative repercussions that could arise from such actions, warning that the promotion of divisive ideologies within the university system would have far-reaching consequences for society as a whole. BJP-backed Syndicate members in the Kerala University, Vinodkumar T.G. Nair and P.S. Gopakumar, demanded the suspension of the Registrar for purportedly colluding with Left-aligned Syndicate members to disrupt the event. They also accused the official of misrepresenting facts to the Raj Bhavan.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- The Hindu
Anti-drug affidavits will soon become mandatory for students: Bindu
Higher education institutions will soon insist on sworn affidavits from students to affirm their commitment against drug use. The declarations, which will also be applicable for freshly admitted first-year students, will have to be co-signed by their parents or guardians. These will be mandated as part of an action plan formulated by the Higher Education Department as part of its efforts to intensify its 'Bodhapoornima' awareness programme aimed at combating substance abuse. A slew of State-wide events will be organised in connection with the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking that will be observed on June 26. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu said anti-drug pledges will be administered across all higher education institutions as part of the observance. The State-level observance will be inaugurated by the Minister at the Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram. Later in the day, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will formally launch the State-wide campaign to mark the beginning of a year-long anti-drug initiative in college campuses across Kerala. All institutions have been instructed to prepare master plans for a drug-free campus, Dr. Bindu said. ASAAD (Agents for Social Awareness against Drugs) Sena, a volunteer force formed under National Service Scheme (NSS), will lead awareness efforts in campuses. Vimukthi clubs will also be formed in all campuses in association with the Excise Department. Prior to the campaign launch, a training programme for nodal officers will be held on Wednesday. The event will also include a declaration of 99 out of 101 polytechnic colleges as 'green campuses' under the Haritha Keralam Mission.
