Dharmadam, Kerala becomes first complete library constituency in India

Tags: place in news National State News

The Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s constituency Dharmadam has become the first complete library constituency in India. In his Facebook post, the chief minister Vijayan said that out of the total 138 wards in the constituency, there were no libraries in 63 wards.  However, with the help of a people’s organization, People’s Mission for Social Development, this task was completed. 

Library and Kerala 

Kerala which was the first state to achieve 100% literacy status in India is also perhaps the only state in India that has a library in every village. 

Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker of Kerala is also known as the Father of the Library Movement in India.

• He started Granthashala Sangam with about 50 small libraries in 1945 in Kerala which grew into a large network of thousands of libraries.
• To honour and acknowledge P.N.Panicker ,Kerala Government declared June 19, his death anniversary, as Vayanadinam (Reading Day) in  1996
• In 2017,   Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared June 19 his death anniversary as National Reading Day in India. The following month is also observed as National Reading Month in India.