Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: P.N. Panicker and his contribution
Mains level: Not Much
The President of India has recently unveiled the statue of Shri P.N. Panicker at Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram.
P.N. Panicker (1909-1995)
- Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker is known as the Father of the Library Movement of Kerala.
- June 19, his death anniversary, has been observed in Kerala as Vayanadinam (Reading Day) since 1996.
- In 2017, PM has declared June 19, Kerala’s Reading Day, as National Reading Day in India.
- The following month is also observed as National Reading Month in India
Contributions
- 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.
- Grandhasala Sangham won the ‘Krupsakaya Award’ from UNESCO in 1975.
- It became the Kerala State Library Council, with an in-built democratic structure and funding.
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