Guwahati: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal, on Sunday, said that no community can move forward with an intellectual awakening without a solid foundation book reading movement and there is a need to incubate an intellectually stimulating environment to bring the new generation back to books.
Union Minister Sonowal, while addressing the gathering at a book release event in Assam’s Guwahati, said that the boundaries of human thought, creativity, and imagination have expanded with the incorporation of books into the realm of the mind.
“Within the pages of these incredible repositories lies the power to shape society by instigating transformative impacts and fostering societal awareness. The relentless efforts of scholars, intellectuals, and creators have yielded many intellectually enriching books, contributing to the cognitive nourishment of human societies. Books and literary festivals have become an integral part of the society, serving as a mirror of its diversity,” Minister Sonowal said.
The Union Minister stressed that a society that neglects the importance of its literary movement, risks hindering its intellectual awakening, and therefore, the creation of a new intellectual awakening in Assam through literature and literary festivals is now a pressing demand.
“Many linguists and literati have diligently preserved and promoted our rich Assamese language, ensuring its continuous evolution. Their unwavering commitment to artistic creation has paved the way for a new literary era, influencing the psyche of the upcoming generation,” the Union Minister remarked.
Union Minister Sonowal said that in the current era of information technology, the habit of reading books is fading away.
“To attract the new generation towards the habit of book reading, I believe we need to collectively create a vibrant intellectual environment. This effort should extend to every corner, reaching the rural and urban areas alike. To broaden the horizons of our minds, we must foster a culture of reading books, allowing the boundaries of our thoughts to expand. Reading habits contribute to our patience, focus, and concentration, aiding in personal growth,” Minister Sonowal added.
The Union Minister urged everyone to join this movement to strengthen the habit of reading books, so that with an enriched and intellectually stimulating society, the people, especially the new generation, can empower their minds to move ahead towards achieving the mission of an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.’
The writer is a senior independent journalist covering the Northeast.
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