World Book-day: “Books provide opportunities for women for self-discovery”-T.Soundiah,IAS.

Trichy, 24, April: The world Book Day was marked at the South Zone of Continuing Education, in its Trichy Kalaiarangam campus on April 23, 2011.The chairperson of the South Zone of Continuing Education, Dr.K.Govindaraju presided over the function and he said that the UNESCO has designated the World Book Day on the birth date of the English playwright and poet William Shakespeare. Mr.T.Soundiah, of Indian Administrative Service, Tamilnadu   delivered the key note address. T.Soundiah spoke on the occasion and said ‘Reading a book is just like talking with a silent person. Books make our character and make the society on being silent. Book help us to increase our imagination and make us aware that there are a lot things have to be done ultimately give us our goal for what we are born’. Reading a book is like meditation, words are organic, and the reading alive. The books reveal our culture and Indian culture is well. Book history is defined as the historical sociology of literature; the creation, diffusion and reception of the written word. It encompasses the social and economic history of the book trade, the spread of literacy, canon formation and the politics of literary criticism; and literacy and reading practices. Traditionally in the hands of bibliographers and social and economic historians, book history also attracts interest from literature, sociology, art, religion, economics and communications. Studies of the way authors and readers annotated books, either arguing with the text or correcting or up-dating information could also provide new insights into the contemporary influence of printed works. So far little work has been done to find and collate such information. The new interest is also resulting in attempts to preserve evidence of printing and publishing methods which rapid technological developments are sweeping away. Historians believe the history of the book will not just illuminate publishing and reading history but also benefit literary criticism and cultural studies. A Good Autobiography book helps us to know the struggle behind the success of a Great Personality. A Good Novel takes us to a dream world and helps us to forget our present, past for a Moment, brings in new perspective towards life. A Powerful Literature helps us to overcome all our negative complexes and helps us to elevate the Mind to Higher planes. An Epic helps us to identify ourselves with one of the Characters and also puts number of Ideals before us. A Religious book helps us to take a righteous path’.

Mr.T.Soundiah further said “A Women in India, A common Indian proverb states, “Raising girls is like watering someone else’s lawn”. This proverb says what India’s attitude towards women is, and it is not positive. Women in India are seen as a burden to society, not an asset. But recent years through Female literacy program and continuing Education, Indian women have proven their worth by standing alongside men and working jobs, earning money, helping to feed their children, and even making important scientific and mathematical discoveries’. The needs of gifted readers are often overlooked because oftentimes teachers and parents mistakenly assume that allowing independent reading at the level and pace the student sets, followed by standard comprehension exercises, are enough. Reading books is a great way to explore one's feelings, as well as to help one better to understand subjective experiences. A great book can facilitate insight and skill development, as well as provide opportunities for women for self-discovery. Issues of emotional development, such as relating to others and establishing a coherent sense of self, are explored in the context of reading works that touch on aspects of who these young people are and who they will become. Intellectual needs and emotional needs are essentially impossible to address as separate aspects of development”. Earlier, Mrs.Percy Lal, District Resource Person of Link Workers Project enlightened that good and relevant books update the knowledge level and also set a goal for life achievements. NYK Coordinator, K.Subramaniam, Prof.R.Veerasekaran, Tamil writer Jawahar Arumugam, Mr.Subburaman, Mrs.T.Vanitha and several others spoke. Books have been exhibited and there was a good sale of Books. Noted Tamil writer ‘Jawahar Arumugam’s books’ was a box-office. -Govin