‘World Book Day’ Celebrated by Bahighara and Vidyabharati
Books Cultivate a Civilized and Enriched Society, Says Guest
Balasore, 26/4 (Krushna Kumar Mohanty):
Books enrich and refine both individuals and society. By reading, every person acquires knowledge and progresses toward a luminous and enlightened world. Wherever books and libraries are respected, strong local leadership tends to emerge. The nations with more libraries are often home to more Nobel laureates. Hence, just as every home has a prayer room and a storeroom, it should also have a dedicated book room or library.
This was the core message during the celebration of ‘World Book Day’ organized by the publishing house Bahighara and Vidyabharati at Azimabad in Balasore. On this occasion, two significant initiatives were launched—Bookshelves in Every Home and Year-Round Book Fair at Bahighara.
Presided over by Vidyabharati Director Abhaya Das, the event saw participation from many dignitaries. The chief guest was Smt. Subasini Jena, MLA of Basta and Editor of Rebati magazine. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Debashis Patra, a renowned writer and researcher from the Department of Language at Fakir Mohan University.
Other distinguished guests included noted social worker Bhagaban Das, municipal councillor Satyashiv Sundar Das, eminent author and cultural organizer Dr. Radharanjan Pattnayak, and educationist Dr. Pankaj Jena. They all shared their insights on the relevance and importance of books in modern life.
A few notable books by columnist and author Bhaskar Parichha were unveiled by the guests. Social worker Sumanta Jena, author Bijay Das Adhikari, playwright Pitambar Das, youth leader Shubham Sai Mohapatra, young entrepreneur Utpal Kumar Kar, and child artist and singer Shubralina Nayak were felicitated on this occasion.
The program began with a two-minute silence in memory of those martyred in a recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The guests then unveiled posters for the Bookshelves in Every Home and Year-Round Book Fair campaigns.
The event was coordinated by Samayara Chakra editor Sarbeshwar Jena, while the vote of thanks was offered by Manjulata Bala, Director of Bahighara. The event was ably supported by team members including Bidyadhar Nayak, Debashis Panda, Dillip Panda, Taruprabha Das, Suchismita Kar, Rashmita Pramanik, Manasi Jena, Sudhanshu Mahalik, and Aparna Jena.
