Society becomes aware of itself when reading habit spreads: Kanimozhi

MADURAI: When reading habit spreads, a society becomes awake and it becomes aware of itself, Tuticorin MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said on Friday.
“The leaders who developed our country were all great thinkers and were habituated to reading books,” Kanimozhi said while inaugurating the fourth edition of the Tuticorin Book Fair on Friday.
The book fair is organised by Tuticorin district administration and the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI) on Sangaraperi grounds in the city from April 21 to May 1. The last four days of the book fair will host the annual Neithal festival that celebrates the coastal land.
Kanimozhi also inaugurated Porunai River Civilization exhibition that displays the archeological exploration that happens in Sivakalai, Adichanallur and Korkai in Tuticorin district. The exhibition organised by the state archeological department displays the models of the trenches and artefacts excavated from these exploration sites.
Another feature of this year's book fair is the photo exhibition on Tuticorin. The best 60 photographs of Tuticorin taken by local photographers are kept for display. Film director Rajeev Menon will select the best pictures for the prize distribution.
Kanimozhi said that 110 publishers have displayed more than one lakh books in the book fair. People, especially students, should support the book fair, she said.
There will be workshops by orators, authors, journalists and social workers talking on different topics.
The district administration has announced free bus services to the book fair venue. All the buses plying on the route will provide a stop at the venue as well. Besides, there are satellite venues of book fair at author Ki Rajanarayanan’s memorial in Kovilpatti, poet Mahakavi Bharathi’s memorial in Ettayapuram and statesman Si Pa Aditanar’s memorial at Tiruchendur.