Shah said it is the young readers in the society who will shape the future. His comments at a book-related event stressed to the gathering that a reading culture of kids and young people is critical to an informed, knowledgeable and progressive nation.
Books are still the best resources for knowledge and learning and Amit Shah commented that children need to learn to read at an early age in order to grow up and be active citizens of society. As he said, if we invest in young readers in a country, we are investing in its future leaders, innovators, thinkers, and responsible citizens.
The Home Minister said reading is more than just for academic reasons. Although textbooks teach the students about things, reading books on history, science, culture, philosophy, biographies and literature is good for curiosity, empathy and analytical thinking and a better understanding of the world. “Reading allows young people to make informed choices and to be open-minded to different points of view,” he said.
Shah also highlighted India’s rich literary heritage that spans different languages, cultures and centuries. He urged students and young readers to read Indian literature and world literature at once since the multitude of languages and cultures that are present in India make for a rich source of history, values and cultural identity. “It is also vital for our country that we promote regional literature and that is important for India’s linguistic diversity and cultural awareness,” the Home Minister said.
The Union Minister said that the rapid rise of digital technology has changed the way we learn but that books continue to be important in education and one’s own growth. Digital platforms are convenient but he said reading books results in sustained attention, deeper comprehension and contemplation in ways that shorter forms of online content don’t.
The reading habit of kids has long been recognized to be a key element in good language skills, comprehension and general learning in education. The vocabulary development, imagination, communication skills and emotional intelligence in reading is also supported by numerous studies.
Amit Shah’s remarks were also consistent with national efforts to enhance literacy and educational outcomes. Key principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 have been to focus on foundational literacy, language development, critical thinking and experiential learning. Reading culture in students is widely believed to be a major part of the way to achieve these goals.
The Home Minister also stressed parents, teachers, schools, libraries and publishers have a particular role to play in creating reading habits in children. He encouraged educational systems to organise book fairs, reading clubs, storytelling sessions, literary festivals and author interactions to help students become more involved in reading. Such activities, he said, are necessary to change reading from an academic requirement into an enjoyable lifelong habit.
Libraries continue to be vital community institutions providing access to books, educational resources and learning opportunities irrespective of a person's economic background. We are going to build libraries’ infrastructure, enhance digital library services and increase access to quality educational materials for the young people in India and urban and rural areas.
Publishers and authors have also welcomed the growing public interest in reading culture and encouraged new public interest in reading culture and the wider intellectual and creative world for young readers; and they have also welcomed that the best way to encourage reading culture is to educate young people in addition to education is not only to encourage young people to read books (and literature and education for young people is to promote their education, but also to nurture knowledge and creativity in reading culture; it is also a lot more than literature, research and innovation and public discussion and national development that comes from it.
Shah’s message resonated with educators and parents who feel that reading is a way to build curiosity and the ability to learn and to get kids’ mindsets to adapt to a more complex, knowledge-driven world. Reading regularly not only builds confidence, independence, and creativity among young people so we can take on the 21st century’s most challenging problems in a way that we’re not used to in our youth.
In India, investment for education and human capital is at the heart of it all and reading habits of children and youth is the central task. The Home Minister’s words show us how books have always been essential to building informed citizens and to promoting democratic values. If young people read books and develop an appetite for learning, India will be a better place.
Amit Shah reinforced the idea that “young readers are our country’s future” when he said that every book a child reads today has a chance to shape the leaders of tomorrow’s generation innovators and nation-builders. His message is that reading is a critical part of education, knowledge and nation-building through education as well as education and knowledge.
