Books can change the world and students should read books and elevate their lives, said Ara. Arularasu, Superintendent of Police, Namakkal district here on Friday.

As part of special initiative “Read and Rise” – A reading movement initiative for empowering youth, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam and The Hindu Group, 100 sets of book bundles, each containing 36 different books (17 Tamil and 19 English) worth ₹8.3 lakh were donated to the libraries in the district. This is done as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the institute and The Hindu Group. Distributing the books to the headmasters and headmistress of the schools on the institute premises in the presence of S.V. Balasubramaniam, Chairman of the institute, Mr. Arularasu said, “our lives are built by books and added that history can be known only by learning the books.” Quoting the names of famous authors, including Thiruvalluvar, Leo Tolstoy, Karl Marx and Stephen Hawking, Mr. Arularasu asked the students to read their books and elevate their lives.

Selvaraj, District Educational Officer, Erode, in his address asked the students to read more books to enhance their lives.

S. Vijay Sukumar, Territory Manager of The Hindu, Coimbatore, said that the distributed books are invaluable and asked the heads of schools to advise their students to utilise it fully.

M.P. Vijayakumar, Trustee of the institute, also spoke at the event.

Earlier, C. Palanisamy, Principal, welcomed the gathering while G. Sathiskumar, Regional Head - The Hindu, Salem delivered a vote of thanks.