P.N Panicker the Father of the Library Movement in Kerala
The activities of the Kerala
Grandhasala Sangam (Kerala State Library Council) ignited a popular cultural
movement in Kerala at the end of which the state acquired total literacy in the
1990’s. It was the work of P.N. Panicker who carried the message of education
and development even to the remotest corners and neglected tribal pockets of
Kerala.
Born in 1st March, 1909 in Kuttanad, in the erstwhile Travancore state, the young Panicker showed a keen interest in reading newspapers and books. Not only did he read them himself, he also read the daily news to groups of illiterate prople of all ages.A teacher by profession, he started Sanadanadharmam Library in his birthplace in 1926. Though his formal education had not reached high levels, he could do to society much more than many who were highly educated in his times.The Grandhasala sangam which began humbly with 47 libraries in 1945, grew into a network of more than 6,000 libraries spreading over the towns and villages of Kerala. To give this activity a developmental format, he organized the Kerala Association for Non Formal Education and Development (KANFED). Together, these two Associations turned an activity into a movement which had a profound impact on the education, culture and development of Kerala.
Disturbed by the fissiparous tendencies that he saw growing in the
country, Panicker also worked to foster social amity and harmony. For this he
devoted his last years to the Friendship Village Movement (Sauhrudagramam). He
continued travelling and working vigorously, sustained by his simple Gandhian
life style and an indomitable will till he passed on 19th June 1995. The
Government of Kerala observes 19th June annually as Vayanadinal (Day of
Reading) with a week-long series of activities at schools and public
institutions to honour the contribution of P.N. Panicker to the cause of
literacy and educatiion. The National Literacy Mission has been inspired
largely by the work of this frail man who converted a simple slogan of “Read
and Grow” into a powerful movement.
The present library
network of Kerala and its organizational efforts were initiated by P.N Panicker
during 1945. The Diwan of Travancore, Sir C.P Ramaswami Iyer, inaugurated the
library conference held at P.K memorial library in Ambalapuzha on 16 September
1945. Although he was an administrator with sound views on the development
needs of the State, he had taken severe steps for suppressing the people’s
movements. So he was very unpopular among the radicals of the State. Thus there
was difference of opinion about inviting him for the inauguration of the
library conference. But the dominant group under the leadership of P.N Panicker
succeeded in their attempts to ensure the Diwan’s participation in the library
conference, in which 47 libraries in Travancore participated. This meeting and
the formation of Travancore Grandhasala Sangham was the first step towards a
democratic institution as the apex body of the libraries.
With the formation of Kerala State in 1956, Travancore – Cochin
Grandhasala Sangham was renamed as the Kerala Grandhasala Sangham and its activities
spread to the Malabar region also. Tanoor Sanchara Grandha Sala in Malppuram
was the first Library, which joined the Kerala Grandha Sala Sangham. This was
in 1957. At that time there were around 500 libraries in Malabar apart from
those libraries under Local Library Authorities. Through the committed and hard
work of Panicker who was the democratically elected Secretary of the Sangam for
the consecutive 33 years, the Sangam grew into an apex body of 5000 odd
libraries. During 1972 when Sangam celebrated its Silver jubilee , a Samskarika
Padayatra highlighting the slogan “ Vayichu Valaruka” under the leadership of
Panicker was performed from Kasargode to Kanyakumari. This was an epoch making
event in the cultural history of Kerala since it was a noble attempt to
organize a Jatha highlighting a theme for a social cause. Till then Jathas were
conducted only for claiming the rights and other benefits. The Vayichu Valaruka
Samskarika jatha was received at the street by the then Chief Minister Shri C
Achuthamenon.
Shri.
Panicker did not rest on the oars of the first phase of his success. He wanted
to develop these libraries and reading rooms centres of socio-cultural
activities and developmental programmes. The Kerala Association of Non-formal
Education and Development (KANFED) was the result of his second phase of work.
The Govt. of India entrusted the work of the State Resource Centre to the newly
formed KANFED with the result Shri. Panicker could expand his activities to the
national level also. It was during this period that he proposed to the State
and Central Govts. his idea of total approach to the liquidation of illiteracy
in the country. With the help of the Govt. of Kerala the Aksharakeralam project
was conceived and implemented successfully the task of making the State of
Kerala the first totally literate State of India. Inspired by this Kerala model
the Govt. of India and the National Literacy Mission (NLM) adopted the total
approach which is now known as Total Literacy Campaign (TLC). This is indeed a
memorable contribution of Shri. Panicker to the cause of literacy at the
national level.
The Krupskaya award instituted by UNESCO in memory of the wife of
great Lenin of Soviet Union, who spearheaded the literacy movement successfully
in the newly established communist State was given to Kerala Grandhasala
Sangham in recognition for the work done by P.N. Panicker and his team in the
field of adult literacy.
A grateful nation
paid homage to his memory by issuing a commemorative postage stamp to
perpetuate his memory. His annual remembrance day is observed state wide by the
Govt. of Kerala as Reading Day with week-long activities in schools and public
institutions. The whole week is devoted to inculcate in the minds of growing children
the habit of reading and acquiring new knowledge.
