DIMAPUR, MAY 14 (MExN): The Rajaram Mohan Roy Library Foundation can take the initiative of establishing public libraries which can be upgraded to knowledge centres in Nagaland provided the State Government supports the program with a stake of 25% in investments. The foundation is a channel under the Centre’s Ministry of Culture.
Appalled by the news that Dimapur does not possess a single public library, member of the foundation HK Kaul today said he would urge the foundation to take up the matter seriously and provide results after a period of 6-8 months. He said he would raise the issue at a meeting in Kolkata on May 17.
Kaul, who has authored 46 books, is in Dimapur to participate in the result announcements of the first ever Nagaland Poetry Competition conducted under the aegis of the Poetry Society (India) of which he is the founding Secretary General. Governor Shyamal Datta has made his time available for the function due to be held at Rotary Club, Dimapur on May 15. The competition witnessed more than 400 entries. 12 of Nagaland’s poets from three categories will be crowned during the function. Besides, a Northeast poetry festival and a workshop on creative writing for the age group of 12-19 in Nagaland are also down the pipeline, Kaul, who also works as director of ‘Delnet’ developing library network, informed.
When queried on whether age-old Naga poetry should be included in the education curriculum, he said poems should be first evaluated and based on the assessments verses can be incorporated in different levels of education.
The Poetry Society (India) was established in the year 1984 as a first of its kind and has organized several competitions, some in association with the British Council.
.jpg)
