Good evening! My greetings to all!
The works that have been undertaken and details that have been unfolded here indicate real vision. Just imagine one of the books that I have just released, ‘Bibliography on Demand’ . It makes available to person, information about a particular subject from all libraries in the country. I have no doubt, with the leadership and vision of Hon’ble Minister, greater heights would be scaled. As a matter of fact, during Amrit Kaal, the role of the Ministry has been very motivational, inspirational and impactful.
As a matter of fact, the moment I stepped into the space occupied by this function, I have not seen such kind of human involvement, children, ladies, old people committed for libraries, that’s a big achievement.
I am delighted to be at the Valedictory Ceremony of Festival of Libraries 2023. The festival inaugurated by Hon’ble President, Smt Draupadi Murmu ji has certainly served as a platform to showcase the best of iconic libraries from and around the world.
I’m enthused that in a country of more than 1.3 billion people, these things could be achieved and there will be data mapping of libraries from the metros down to the village.
In recent times, I have seen the Ministry taking several innovative steps. First of its kind, this one, first-ever Festival of Libraries and look at the theme and look at the focus area- Digitization and access for all. This is a milestone development. The world is changed when you have rich human resources. The spinal strength, the backbone of any human resource, if it has to achieve great results, is knowledge, learning and that comes mostly from knowledge of the past. And the only conveyance of that is books.
I’m sure good things are around the corner. I’m told as it is my habit before I come to a function, I go to social media, which these days is enormously important, I get in touch with the people who know about it. I’m happy to communicate with the Honourable Minister and the Secretary that good vibes have been generated all around by this function. It has been extremely impactful and there has been absolutely nothing negative about it. Congratulations!
Those of you who know chemistry know catalysts do a great job. It converts arithmetic into geometric development. I have no doubt the present programme will catalyse the step towards realizing One Nation, One Digital Library and fructify the vision of India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi.
Nothing can be more befitting than having such a programme in a country with a civilizational history of 1000s of years. At a time when we are in the second phase of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. It is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision to foster the development and digitization of libraries and cultivate a culture of reading in India.
I am a product of a time when the library was very relevant. As students in Sainik school, we used to have one hour in a week dedicated to the library. I still read, recollect, I would get small books, biographies that were inspired by those people in various walks of life. Going into the library, I had the occasion to see who Picasso was. I came to know about Vivekanand ji, Rabindranath Tagore, and those impressions are lasting impressions. So this is an important development that their culture of reading is being facilitated by a platform.
We have seen these days that platforms are extremely essential for high productivity. And one platform with the Honorable Secretary was telling me that if someone needs to know about highway engineering or highway infrastructure building, it is available in our bibliography on demand, and you will come to know in which library what particular book is available on the subject. Just imagine such kind of intelligence has been embedded into your mechanism; people are bound to be facilitated and thereby inspired.
Formulation of action oriented policies for development of modern libraries in India is a tall order. We are a country of variety – languages, regional cuisines and different kinds of climatic conditions. But success lies in reaching out to every village. It is gratifying to note we have reached major milestones. Every village is electrified is not a factor now, every household is electrified and that’s a big achievement.
Secondly, technological embedding has taken place in the village. Otherwise, how do we explain that 46% of digital transfer in the world is taking place in India. In 2022, if I go by statistics in the digital transfers that took place in the USA, UK, France and Germany, ours are fourfold. I have no doubt that this is a big challenge and you will accomplish it undoubtedly and in the shortest time.
An informed citizen is the greatest spinal strength of any democratic process. Only informed citizens can neutralize anti national forces and narratives and to achieve informed citizen status, libraries – public libraries are quintessential. This is the big job in which the ministry is engaged, I compliment.
I’m tempted to quote Rabindranath Tagore. “Books are the windows to the world.”
Nothing can be more pragmatic and realistic than this. You go to a library, you open a book and you realize you opened a window to the world. A library is a temple of learning, a place where the human mind goes to worship.
Now, I’m sharing something not out of concern, but only to seek your involvement. Parliament is also the temple, a temple where debate, discussion, dialogue has to take place. No one expects parliament to be engaged in disturbance; you want your representatives to function in national interest. I am working in that direction. We have enormously talented people in Parliament. They bring on the table huge experience. I want that to be utilized for national purposes. But if our parliamentary system, temples of democracy do not engage in dialogue and discussion, they are plagued by disruption and disturbance, the space is not going to be vacant and it will be occupied by forces that are not accountable to the constitution. I will therefore appeal to all of you to use your power as the common man, use your power as citizens of this country to generate an ecosystem that we always act in a manner to keep interest of the nation first and commit ourselves in an imperative manner to our duties.
Well thought out National Mission on Libraries was launched in 2014. It has been very impactful. I’m sure greater vigor will be invigorated in this to achieve a level where we can reach the village also. I’m sure an execution plan for the development of modern libraries right down to the village community level would be functional. The only transformational mechanism that is available historically to change our civilization’s growth is education. It is education that leads to research. It is education that activates innovation. Execution is not difficult but generating a concept is always difficult. Education and knowledge are twins. The mechanism which is being evolved will put them in the right perspective and people will benefit hereby.
Imagine long back 1000s of years back, there was an urge in the human genius to ensure that there is dissemination of knowledge and preservation of knowledge and they took to palm leaf manuscripts. I had the occasion to see them in the National Library in Kolkata. Look at the great effort that has gone into it. Thanks to technological developments, things are much better now. We must employ technology so that dissemination and preservation of knowledge takes the public interest to a very high elevated level.
Ongoing efforts to employ technology for libraries are greatly appreciated because impact is being felt. As a matter of fact, it is necessary that Digital Library initiatives break barriers, empowering all citizens with access to knowledge.
Let me put it to you. If you examine the growth history of India. from the 1950s in any walk of life, that is tech industry, the top 10 industrial houses in the 50s, how many of them have survived? And you will come to a conclusion immediately that in every decade, there was an addition on account of knowledge, technology and in the current decade the situation is that fresh talent is dominating Indian industry. That is the power of knowledge. Library Development brings about the development of a society and culture. It is also a measure of the progress of civilizations and our growth history.
I must compliment the Honorable Minister and the Secretary on this coffee table book. Before coming here, I gathered some inputs but look at the coffee table book; I just glanced at it, I am sure you will be 100% focused, it is an unusual coffee table book. It is virtually the most authentic record of Indian genius for freedom, for our value system. It makes available to you what was hidden from you, what was proscribed, and each word makes the difference, you will have to see that word in the context of the situation obtained there.
We are lucky at this time when India is on the rise as never before, the rise of the country is unstoppable. It has been held out by the IMF and other organizations: We are a bright star, a favourite destination of opportunity and investment. But at that time when the great heroes, sung and unsung, picked up the courage to take on the might of those who could deal with them very harshly. I have been to the Cellular Jail in Port Blair, they were there, but they picked up the courage to serve Bharat Mata. Today, they have brought that in the coffee table book. I am sure it would ever be in your mind and on your table.
We should persuade every child to go through that, it capsules the essence of our spirit, and the constant urge for democratic values. This has made India today the largest and oldest democracy in the world.
I can tell you friends, no country in the world has the kind of democratic structure which we have. In Bharat our democracy is constitutionally structured at the village level, at Panchayat Samiti level, at Zila Parishad level. In the same manner, as elections to the legislature, State and Parliament at the Center. It is also an occasion to salute our freedom fighters who figure in the coffee table book.
Friends, we must always take pride in our country. Let us be proud Indians. Take pride in our historic achievements and must always keep our nation first. One is sometimes pained and anguished as some of us make a sinister effort with pernicious motivation, to taint, tarnish, demean our institutions. Be judgmental about them. Attend to their point of view. If you are convinced otherwise, never hesitate to neutralize anti-Bharat narratives because when the country of our size grows very fast and the fastest growth is projected and calibrated on global parameters. A decade ago we were in double digits, when it came to global economy status. We were at number 10 or 11. In September 2022, we had the occasion to be at number 5 and in the process, we overtook our erstwhile colonial rulers. By the turn of the decade, we will be the third largest global economy.
So when there is such an unprecedented and unparalleled growth, which could not have been dreamed of a few years ago, happens; there are bound to be reactionary challenges. I would appeal to everyone, when it comes to nationalism or the interest of the nation, never have a partisan approach. Political partisan approach is fine in the political arena. But when you become a stakeholder in the growth of the nation, politics must take a back seat. When it is in the interest of the nation we must always be on front. We must play with a straight bat and play with courage and conviction. I am sure you all here will do that.
Friends, this big change is taking place, most of my generation will not be here when India celebrates the centenary of its independence in 2047. Our young minds who have an urge to acquire knowledge, for them an ecosystem has been made available where they can unleash their energy to realize their potential and talent and in the process achieve their dreams and aspirations. Young minds are the most important demographic components, You will be the Warriors in 2047. Therefore, it falls upon you to critically analyze our national development and take a view. Your silence will not be wholesome. You have to speak out your mind to defeat sinister forces that think otherwise.
Can you imagine in a country when law takes its course, people take to the streets? This has not happened anywhere in the civilized world. If you have to face the wrath of law, the only way out is to take recourse to the robust judicial system we have in the country. And that robust judicial system, I can say without the fear of contradiction, is the best in the world. Why therefore take to the streets?
This question has to come not from me but from the people of the country. They have to think, reflect and introspect and generate an ecosystem that none is above law. None, without exception, irrespective of position or power.
Human history growth has always been there based on your knowledge. Once you have the knowledge and research then the execution is easy and therefore let us focus on knowledge. There was a time when we took great pride in having Institutions like Takshashila and Nalanda. In the global economy, our share was very high. The good thing is a turnaround has taken place. We are on the right track and moving upward. Our trajectory is incremental. We will reach the destination but for that every Bhartiya has to contribute out of mind and out of heart.
I would not take more time, I had much to say, but I am so impressed with the achievements of the Ministry. I have been so touched by the warmth of the people here. I could have spent hours and hours with them. Friends, I have talked to a few boys and girls, I could see a sparkle in their eyes. I have seen all around, people were in the mood of joy and knowledge gives you joy. Knowledge is antidotal to tension and stress. Knowledge is a factor which neutralizes negativity. It inculcates positivity. It takes you beyond yourself to look at the larger society.
So friends, I agree with the Honorable Minister that this is not the end, this is the beginning and once again I congratulate the Secretary and his team for such outstanding achievement that will impact the last man in the row.
Thank you so much!
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MS/JK/RC
