National Reading Day: Occasion marks death anniversary of 'Father of Library Movement' PN Panicker; all you need to know

India celebrates ‘National Reading Day’ on the death anniversary of social reformer PN Panicker. Known as the Father of the Library Movement in India, Panicker passed away on 19 June in 1995 after revolutionising the practice of reading in the country. Born on 1 March, 1909, Panicker contributed to the literacy movement in Kerala. It became the first total literate state of the country in 1991. According to a blog by the PN Panicker Foundation, the activist promoted Kerala Association for Non-Formal Education and Development (KANFED), a non-formal education movement and institutions like Kerala Grandhasala Sangam (Kerala State Library Council). How did PN Panicker start the Library Movement? Panicker was working as a teacher when he first came up with Sanadanadharmam Library. In 1945, with the aim of promoting reading and writing in rural areas, he formed an association named Thiruvithaamkoor Granthasala Sangham (Travancore Library Association). The publication further mentions that this association later became Kerala Grandhasala Sangam. Through Panicker’s efforts, 6,000 libraries joined this network. What are the celebrations for National Reading Day? The PN Panicker Foundation has organised webinars to kickstart the National Reading Month which is going to be from 19 June to 18 July. There will also be competitive games available on the website of the foundation for reading enthusiasts. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be inaugurating the celebrations for the silver jubilee of the Reading Day. The event organised by the PN Panicker Foundation is going to be virtually inaugurated by the chief minister People from as many as 50 lakh houses are going to take the reading day pledge, as per the organisers.