Read At Least One Book Before Next Reading Inspiration Day, Uday Samant Tells Mantralaya Staff In Mumbai

Mumbai: Reading Inspiration Day, observed to mark the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, should not remain a one-day event but inspire people to read throughout the year, Marathi Language Minister Dr Uday Samant said on Thursday. He urged every officer and employee at Mantralaya to resolve to read at least one book before the next Reading Inspiration Day.

Samant was speaking at a programme organised by the Marathi Language Department at the Trimurti Courtyard in Mantralaya. He paid floral tributes to Dr Kalam’s portrait and visited book exhibition and sales stalls set up by the department.

Expressing concern over the declining reading habit, Samant said celebrating Reading Inspiration Day alone would not achieve the desired objective. Reading must become an integral part of everyday life, he stressed.

Initiative reaches 10 lakh students in 10 days

Samant said the department had undertaken a special initiative to familiarise university students across Maharashtra with the Marathi language’s rich literary tradition, cultural heritage and contribution to society following its recognition as a classical language.

The initiative received a positive response and reached around 10 lakh students in just 10 days, setting a new record, he said.

‘Use Marathi in everyday conversations’

Highlighting the importance of promoting Marathi through everyday communication, Samant said around 1.67 lakh people had received Marathi language training under the department’s initiatives.

However, he expressed confidence that if Marathi speakers regularly communicated in their mother tongue in daily interactions, people speaking other languages would find it easier to learn Marathi without requiring formal training.

Recounting an experience shared by an autorickshaw driver in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Samant said the driver, who had come to Maharashtra for employment and wanted to learn Marathi, initially faced the need to acquire the language. Had Marathi-speaking passengers regularly spoken to him in Marathi, he could have learnt it more easily, Samant observed.

He urged citizens to take personal responsibility for promoting the language by increasing its use in everyday conversations.

Samant stresses education in mother tongue

Recalling his interaction with Dr Kalam, the minister underlined the importance of mother-tongue education from childhood through higher education. He said Kalam had advocated laying a strong foundation for language learning at an early age and ensuring the effective use of the mother tongue across educational levels.

Samant also recalled efforts made during his tenure as Higher and Technical Education Minister to expand opportunities for technical education in Marathi. The availability of BTech and MTech courses in Marathi was a matter of pride for Maharashtra, he said.

Emphasising that reading contributes both to individual development and society’s intellectual growth, Samant reiterated his appeal to Mantralaya employees to read at least one book over the coming year and actively contribute to strengthening the reading culture.

Also Watch:

Book exhibition at Mantralaya

Additional Chief Secretary of the Urban Development Department Dr K H Govindraj, Marathi Language Department Secretary Dr Kiran Kulkarni, Joint Secretary Dr Namdev Bhosale and Director of Languages Arun Gite were among those present.

Kulkarni said the book exhibition had been organised to bring Mantralaya officers and employees closer to books, encourage them to purchase books and promote actual reading.

The exhibition and book sale stalls organised by the Marathi Language Department will remain open at Mantralaya’s Trimurti Courtyard on October 15 and 16, from 10 am to 5 pm. The department has appealed to officers, employees and visitors to attend the exhibition and support the reading movement by purchasing books.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/