Context: Recently, President of India 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.