New Delhi: Stressing that many experiments are being done to instill creativity and love for books among children, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised the establishment of such libraries in different states that became a hub of "creativity" and "learning."
In his address during the 116th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat,' Prime Minister Modi said that the endeavour is to instill more creativity and more love for books.
"It is said that books are a man's best friend and now to make this friendship stronger what could be a better place than a library," he said.
PM Modi, at first praised 'Prakrith Arivagam', a library in Chennai for helping children to be more creative.
"In Chennai, one such library is set up for children which has become a hub of creativity and learning. It is known by the name of 'Prakrith Arivagam'. The idea of this library has been given by the person associated with the world of technology, Shriram Gopalan. During his work abroad, he stayed connected with the world of latest technology but he also thought of inculcating the habit of reading and learning among children," the PM said.
"There are more than three thousand books here for which children compete with one another. Besides books, several activities in this library also keep children engaged. Be it a storytelling session, art workshops, memory training classes or public speaking, there is something for everyone, which they like," he added.
The Prime Minister also mentioned Hyderabad's 'Food for Thought Foundation' that has made many remarkable libraries. "They also aim to provide books so that children get authentic information on several topics," he said.
PM Modi also highlighted Bihar's Golapganj, 'Prayog Library' which is being talked about in many nearby cities.
"This library is providing reading facilities to youth from around 12 villages. Besides this, the library provides other necessary facilities for education as well. Many libraries are even helping students in preparing for competitive exams. It is delightful to see that today libraries are being put to best use to empower the society," the Prime Minister emphasized.
He also encouraged everyone to connect with books and observe remarkable changes in their lives.
"You also increase friendship with books, and see how your life changes," PM Modi said.
PM Modi also highlighted the impact of the Indian diaspora in the Caribbean nation of Guyana and said that 'a Mini India' also exists in Guyana, where people of Indian origin have become leaders in politics, business, education, and culture.
The remarks by PM Modi also came during the 116th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat' and following his official state visit to Guyana.
He said, "A 'Mini India' also exists in Guyana, thousands of kilometres away from India. About 180 years ago, people from India were taken to Guyana to work as labourers in the fields and for other work. Today, people of Indian origin in Guyana are leading Guyana in every field of politics, business, education and culture. The President of Guyana, Dr. Irfan Ali, is also of Indian origin and is proud of his Indian heritage."
He added, "Like Guyana, there are millions of Indians in dozens of countries across the world. Their ancestors from decades past, 200-300 years ago, have their own stories..."
PM Modi further spoke about a project in Oman and said that numerous Indian families who have lived in Oman for centuries are having their history preserved. With the support of the Indian Embassy in Oman and the National Archives of India, a team is working to safeguard the history of these families, collecting documents, with some dating back to 1838.
"You will also find an extraordinary project going on in Oman. Numerous Indian families have been living in Oman for many centuries. Most of them who have settled there are from Kutch in Gujarat. These people had created important links of trade. With the support of the Indian Embassy in Oman and the National Archives of India, a team has started the work of preserving the history of these families," PM Modi said.
PM Modi also highlighted an effort in Slovakia aimed at preserving and promoting Indian culture and said that for the first time, the Upanishads, ancient Indian texts, have been translated into the Slovak language.
He said, "I have come to know about another such effort being done in Slovakia which is related to preserving and promoting our culture. Here, for the first time, our Upanishads have been translated into the Slovak language. These efforts also show the global influence of Indian culture. It is a matter of pride for all of us that there are crores of people around the world who have India in their hearts." (ANI)
Also Read: ‘No links of PM Modi, Jaishankar to criminal activity in Canada’: Canadian government
Also Watch: