There have been new initiatives by National Book Trust to promote book culture and engage new readers in remote areas by ensuring books in their local languages and at their doorsteps
Pramod Kumar
The National Book Trust (NBT) publishes books in about 40 languages. Despite that, there have been questions over its poor connect to the readers in rural and remote areas of the country. But now, thanks to the innovative initiatives taken by new chairman Shri Baldev Bhai Sharma, as part of the 60 years celebration of the country’s apex body of book publication, the picture seems to be getting brighter. The NBT which used to sell books worth Rs 5-7 crore till the year 2014 sold books worth over 20 crore in the year 2016. It was Rs 16 crore in 2015. In this financial year too, books worth Rs 12 crore have been sold till December 2017.
Expanding Wings in Sanskrit and Regional Languages
Despite having a huge network of book publication, the NBT did not publish books in Sanskrit. Now that barrier has been broken with the publication of Gandhi Tatva Shatkam and Charaiveti! Charaiveti! by Uttar Pradesh Governor Shri Ram Naik in Sanskrit. The NBT also organised National Sanskrit Book Fair in Varanasi, which was joined by over 100 publishers including about two dozen exclusive Sanskrit publishers. The initiative to promote publication of books in Indian regional languages and dialects including Santhali, Mandari, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Batri, Bondvi, Hadavi, Nepali, Kokborok, etc helped the NBT reach the untapped segments of readers.
Word Counts The World Book Fair 2018 organised at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from January 6 to 14 witnessed a series of fruitful discussions on certain vital issues, which are normally ignored by the media and literary world. Titled as “Shabdotsava” and organised as part of the Rashtriya Sahitya Sangam, the discussions were held on five important topics. On January 7, a panel of three eminent media experts, Group Editor of Organiser and Panchjanya Shri Jagdish Upasane, Director General of IIMC Shri KG Suresh and Vice Chancellor of Himachal Central University Dr Kuldip Agnihotri, discussed how the readers are misguided and confused through fabricated facts. They said if the media has to take any side that must be only the public side. On January 8, Prof Kapil Kumar, Prof Makkhanlal and Prof Rajnish Shukla discussed myths and realities in history. On January 10, national convener of Prajna Pravah Shri J Nandakumar, Organiser editor Shri Prafulla Ketkar and others discussed why the media is silent on critical issues including the brutal killing of RSS workers in Kerala. Two other functions were held on January 12 and 14. |
One Book for Every Hand
Another significant initiative that has received applause and support from world over is the scheme, One Book for Every Hand. Under the scheme, people make donations and NBT supplies books to the place, the donors wish. The impact of the scheme can be understood from the fact that books worth Rs four lakh have been supplied under this scheme till December 2017. “It is an ambitious scheme and we are committed to make it more effective,” says Shri Baldev Bhai Sharma.
Engaging Panchayats
Since the literacy rate in rural areas is fast improving, the appetite of people to read good books too is increasing. But most publishers seem reluctant to address that segment of readers. The NBT for the first time is going to engage those readers in villages by preparing to organise National Panchayat Book Fair in Uttarakhand in the end of February. “We want the Panchayats should contribute in promotion of book culture and reading habits. A certain amount of Panchayat fund can be used for purchasing books, creating libraries and ensuring books to children and general readers. If the experiment is successful, we would promote it all over the country,” adds Baldev Bhai. The Book Fairs organised in Ranchi, Udaipur in Rajasthan, Udaipur in Tripura, Shilong and Janjati areas of Uttarakhand have received wonderful response. The response of sending Book Vans to remote areas is also well received. Such vans sold books worth Rs 15 lakh in the Janjati areas of Odisha merely in two months.
Motivation to Budding Writers
Motivation to budding writers is must for developing good writers for future. Since most private publishers hesitate to invest energy on new writers, the NBT has started a special scheme, ‘Nav Lekhan Mala’, for out-of-the-box budding male and female writers. About 20 books in seven languages — nine in Hindi and rest in Tamil, Bengali, Odiya, Malayalam and Telugu have already been published. Under this scheme young writers below the age of 40 years and those whose not a single book has been published are promoted. ‘Thirukkural’ by Thiruvalluvar which is known as the Gita of Tamil has been translated into Hindi so that the large segment of readers could read it. For children, a ‘Veer Gatha’ series has been started to provide inspiring life stories of Paramvir Chakra winners with attractive illustrations so that they imbibe values from those stories. The NBT has also signed an MoU with a Japanese publishing organisation to publish books on cleanliness. Initially, five books will be translated in Hindi and English so that the children of India learn about cleanliness.
Equally, eight books have been published under the series, ‘Women Pioneer’, so that the girls could know that women in our country have excelled in every field including literature, social service, bravery, sewa, etc. The NBT has also reprinted ‘Bharat Ki Maulik Ekata’ written by renowned scholar Vasudevsharan Agrawal. In order to apprise the readers of the glorious science traditions of Bharat, a book, ‘Physics in Ancient India’ written by Dr Shankar Gopal Nene has been published.
The initiatives by NBT to reach the hitherto unreached segments of readers in remote areas and to start publication in Sanskrit as well as in various Janjati dialects have broken the barriers which were obstacles in the expansion of NBT.
