Mumbai/Itanagar, Feb 18: Lohit Youth Library Network which has been playing a pioneering role in spreading the reading movement in Arunachal Pradesh received wide appreciation for their work at the 28th Annual Technology & Leadership Forum Meet of The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) held at Mumbai on February 12-14 last.
The premier trade body and chamber of commerce of the IT  industry in India, as a part of their efforts to highlight the importance of rural & grass root interventions and to honour the commendable contributors in this regard invited Padma Shri awardee and Coordinator of Lohit Youth Library Network S. Mundayoor, lovingly known as Uncle Moosa. Along with him, Popatrao Pawar, also a Padma Shri and creator of a model village programme in Maharashtra was invited. Introducing the speakers, Ex-Chairman, NASSCOM Raman Roy who moderated the panel discussions spoke how these path-breaking initiatives and interventions in rural development are vital for bringing a new life to the rural and marginalised populations who form the silent 70% rural majority in the country.
Answering queries of the moderator, Uncle Moosa stressed on the vital importance of intensive reading promotion activities in a rural tribal Himalayan society like Arunachal which has vastly different mother-tongues with no script and very limited exposure to English language, confined only to a few hours during school time. He added that last four decades have been focussed to develop a taste for reading and discover the joy of reading among youths, students, teachers and parents who did not had access to reading materials. Challenges of the Himalayan region were well reflected through the screening of “The Joy of Learning” (2017) made on Lohit Youth Libraries directed by documentary filmmaker P. N Ramcahndra.

Responding to a query as to how the software industry can participate and support efforts to promote reading habits of youths in rural India, Uncle Moosa highlighted the use of modern technology in improving learning standards & promoting curiosity in reading. He emphasised that mobiles and internet should be used optimally towards this end & software companies could develop user-friendly programs and apps for easy learning activities of learners in remote areas. Thanking NASSCOM on behalf of the people of Arunachal Pradesh for providing a national platform to showcase the joy of reading movement in Arunachal, he appealed the trade body and its 2800 odd member companies to join hands with Government of Arunachal Pradesh, education institutions and local NGOs to take up the challenges of promoting reading habits among the rural and marginalised communities. Newsdesk

---

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List