P. N. Panicker
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Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker is known as the Father of the Library Movement in Kerala. The activities of the Kerala Grandhasala Sanghom which was initiated by P. N. Panicker triggered a popular cultural movement in Kerala which resulted in total literacy being acquired by the state in the 1990s.
Early life
Panicker was born on 1 March 1909 in Jamjamjum to Govinda Pillai and Janaky Amma at Neelamperoor, India in the Alappuzha District. In 1926 he started the Sanadanadharmam Library as a teacher at his hometown.[1] Although his formal education was not substantial and he never reached a college level of education, his influence on society was much greater than many of his time.
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 propagating the message of reading and encouraging the active involvement of people. He succeeded in bringing about 6000 libraries into this network. Grandhasala Sangham won the prestigious ‘Krupsakaya Award’ from UNESCO in 1975. He was the General Secretary of Sangham for 32 years, until 1977, when the Sanghom was taken over by the Kerala State Government. Presently, it is called the Kerala State Library Council, with an in-built democratic structure and funding from the State Government.
Turning Point
In the new face of Kerala Grandhasala Sangham as Kerala State Library Council, the founder of the organisation, P.N. Panicker, was now subject to political interference. However, Panicker found it necessary to work further for the society. As such, in 1977 he founded the Kerala Association for Non-formal Education and Development (KANFED). KANFED was highly instrumental in starting the Kerala State Literacy Mission, which led Kerala to its total literacy movement. Thus, Kerala became the first state which achieved total literacy.
Panicker also took a keen interest in promoting Agricultural Books Corners, The Friendship Village Movement (Sauhrudahramam), Reading Programmes for Families, Grants for Books and building libraries and Best Reader’s Award P.N. Panicker Foundation.
Death
Panicker died on 19 June 1995, at the age of 86. At this point, the Government of Kerala stepped in and accepted the contributions of P.N. Panicker 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 the contributions of P.N. Panicker to the cause of literacy, education and library movement.
The Department of Posts honored Panicker by issuing a commemorative postage stamp on 21 June 2004.
His birth centenary was celebrated under the auspices of the P. N. Panicker Foundation in 2010.