The books help greatly in building one’s character and personality and special attention must be given to translating Hindi books into English and other foreign languages to give them international recognition, said the Governor of Uttarakhand Krishan Kant Paul after inauguration of National Book Fair at parade ground here on Monday.
The Governor and the State Chief Minister inaugurated the fair by lighting the lamp.
The Governor said that books help greatly in building one’s character and personality. “It is important to know the difference between knowledge and information. Internet and social media give us information while books give us knowledge and wisdom,’’ he said.
The Governor added that in the era of IT and internet it is a challenge to understand misleading information. He called upon the teachers to make students develop a habit of reading good books. He informed that Prime Minister’s “Mann ki Baat” is now available in form of a book which can inspire students.
The Governor congratulated higher education minister Dhan Singh Rawat for organising the book fair in Dehradun.
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that life is incomplete without books and students must treat books as their friends and devote some time to reading every day. He informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also laid great stress on reading.
He said that a phase of transition is currently going as e-library and digital books are gaining popularity. Rawat said that the challenge before the students is to keep a balance between usage of technology and habit of book reading. The CM said that book fairs should be organised at panchayat level.
The higher education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat said that the book fair with the theme ‘Padhega Uttarakhand toh Badhega Uttarakhand’ would be held till September 5 under the aegis of National Book Trust (NBT).
He informed that writing contests, literary programmes and authors’ discussions would be held during the event. The Minister claimed that the NBT had also agreed to hold a Panchayat book fair in Uttarakhand.
NBT’s Chairperson Baldeo Bhai Sharma, MlAs Khajandas and Vinod Chamoli and author leeladhar Jagudi were also present on the occasion. large number of students also attended the fair and evinced keen interest in the books. The organisers are giving a special discount of 20 percent on purchase of books from the fair.