Today was the last day of the 'Reading week' or the 'Vaayana vaaram'. A wide ranging set of programmes was organised throughout the state with the unrestricted participation of the common man despite adverse weather conditions. Muthachan would have been mighty glad if he'd been around.
On the occasion, I'd like to take you through the life and times of the simple and ordinary gentleman that PN Panicker really was who went on to achieve extraordinary milestones by his indomitable spirit, perseverance, hard work and above all, a belief in himself.
01 Mar 1909 Born as the second son to Puthuvayil Govinda Pillai and Janaki Amma on the
day of the 'Thiruvathira' nakshatram.
1925 Finished schooling in and around Neelamperoor, Vazhappilli, Kurichi and
Changanasseri.
1926 (a) Took up job as a teacher at the Neelamperoor Middle school.
(b) Set up 'Sanathana Dharmam', his first library at Neelamperoor.
1927 His trek to Kottayam and meeting with KC Mammen Mappila of the Malayala
Manorama. Is able to get copies of the newspaper free for his library from then
on.
1930 Married Chempakakutty Amma, who hailed from the Amayida Maliyekkapara
mbil House at Ambalapuzha.
1931 Set up the PK Memorial library at the western entrance of the Ambalapuzha
Sreekrishna temple.
16 Sep 1945 Gave shape to the 'Travancore Grandhasala Sangham' consisting of 47 rural
libraries and is ordained as its General Secretary. His tryst with Sir CP Rama
swamy Aiyar, the Diwan of Travancore who'd inaugurated the conference.
1946 The Travancore Grandhasala Sangham gets a monthly grant of Rs.250/- from
Sir CP's government who urges him to shift to Thiruvananthapuram.
27 May 1947 The Travancore Grandhasala Sangham registers itself as per the Travancore
Company Act.
1948 (a) The Travancore Grandhasala Sangham gets government approval.
(b) Its mouthpiece, 'Grandhalokam' launched as a bimonthly publication with
him as its editor.
01 Jul 1949 Thiru-Kochi Grandhasala Sangham comes into existence on the merger of
the princely states of Travancore and Kochi and the coming together of all the
libraries in the two states.
01 Nov 1956 Kerala Grandhasala Sangham comes into being on the formation of Kerala
and bringing together all the libraries of the Malabar area to the existing lot.
31 Jul 1957 Kerala Grandhasala Sangham gets its own office within the premises of the
Trivandrum Public Library.
1970 (a) The Sangham celebrates its silver jubilee.
(b) A network of 5,280 libraries have been set up all over the state making it a
vibrant movement.
(c) Undertook a 'padayatra' from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram. Gave
Kerala the slogan, "Vaayichu valaruka, Chinthichu vivekam neduka".
1971 (a) Gave impetus to the idea of 'functional literacy'.
(b) Instituted the Jayashankar(a keen lover of books who died quite young)
memorial award to encourage reading among the children
1972 A printing press established at the Sangham's premises. Grandhalokam,
Saakshara Keralam and neo-literacy aid publications began to be printed
from here.
1975 The UNESCO honours the Kerala Grandhasala Sangham with the 'Nadezhda
Krupskaya' award - named after Mrs. Lenin - for its extraordinary contributions
towards the well being of the society.
16 Mar 1977 (a) The government takes over the Kerala Grandhasala Sangham through an
ordinance.
(b) A control board is set up to look after the running of the Sangham and he's
made its member secretary,
1978 (a) He comes out of the Kerala Grandhasala Sangham, heartbroken as people
play petty politics.
(b) Gives shape to a new organisation 'KANFED'(Kerala Association for Non
formal Education & Development) to give an impetus to functional literacy.
(c) Undertakes another 'padayatra' from Kasaragod to Parassala outlining the
importance of being literate.
1985 Ezhome of the Kannur district becomes the first village to attain cent percent
literacy.
1991 Kerala attains cent percent literacy and becomes the first state in India to do so.
25 Jul 1991 Mrs. PN Panicker passes into the mist of time giving him a deep body blow.
19 Jun 1995 PN Panicker passes into the mist of time at the age of 86 years plunging the
Malayalees into eternal grief.
Tailpiece.
1. An amazing body of work! He'd always expressed a desire to pass into oblivion doing karma and he had achieved that.
2. My grandfather bestest!
PS.
(a) I was fortunate to see my great grandmother in my growing years.
(b) The Panickers have seven children and my mom is their eldest child. Actually, they'd nine but lost a son and a daughter when both were quite young.
On the occasion, I'd like to take you through the life and times of the simple and ordinary gentleman that PN Panicker really was who went on to achieve extraordinary milestones by his indomitable spirit, perseverance, hard work and above all, a belief in himself.
01 Mar 1909 Born as the second son to Puthuvayil Govinda Pillai and Janaki Amma on the
day of the 'Thiruvathira' nakshatram.
1925 Finished schooling in and around Neelamperoor, Vazhappilli, Kurichi and
Changanasseri.
1926 (a) Took up job as a teacher at the Neelamperoor Middle school.
(b) Set up 'Sanathana Dharmam', his first library at Neelamperoor.
1927 His trek to Kottayam and meeting with KC Mammen Mappila of the Malayala
Manorama. Is able to get copies of the newspaper free for his library from then
on.
1930 Married Chempakakutty Amma, who hailed from the Amayida Maliyekkapara
mbil House at Ambalapuzha.
1931 Set up the PK Memorial library at the western entrance of the Ambalapuzha
Sreekrishna temple.
16 Sep 1945 Gave shape to the 'Travancore Grandhasala Sangham' consisting of 47 rural
libraries and is ordained as its General Secretary. His tryst with Sir CP Rama
swamy Aiyar, the Diwan of Travancore who'd inaugurated the conference.
1946 The Travancore Grandhasala Sangham gets a monthly grant of Rs.250/- from
Sir CP's government who urges him to shift to Thiruvananthapuram.
27 May 1947 The Travancore Grandhasala Sangham registers itself as per the Travancore
Company Act.
1948 (a) The Travancore Grandhasala Sangham gets government approval.
(b) Its mouthpiece, 'Grandhalokam' launched as a bimonthly publication with
him as its editor.
01 Jul 1949 Thiru-Kochi Grandhasala Sangham comes into existence on the merger of
the princely states of Travancore and Kochi and the coming together of all the
libraries in the two states.
01 Nov 1956 Kerala Grandhasala Sangham comes into being on the formation of Kerala
and bringing together all the libraries of the Malabar area to the existing lot.
31 Jul 1957 Kerala Grandhasala Sangham gets its own office within the premises of the
Trivandrum Public Library.
1970 (a) The Sangham celebrates its silver jubilee.
(b) A network of 5,280 libraries have been set up all over the state making it a
vibrant movement.
(c) Undertook a 'padayatra' from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram. Gave
Kerala the slogan, "Vaayichu valaruka, Chinthichu vivekam neduka".
1971 (a) Gave impetus to the idea of 'functional literacy'.
(b) Instituted the Jayashankar(a keen lover of books who died quite young)
memorial award to encourage reading among the children
1972 A printing press established at the Sangham's premises. Grandhalokam,
Saakshara Keralam and neo-literacy aid publications began to be printed
from here.
1975 The UNESCO honours the Kerala Grandhasala Sangham with the 'Nadezhda
Krupskaya' award - named after Mrs. Lenin - for its extraordinary contributions
towards the well being of the society.
16 Mar 1977 (a) The government takes over the Kerala Grandhasala Sangham through an
ordinance.
(b) A control board is set up to look after the running of the Sangham and he's
made its member secretary,
1978 (a) He comes out of the Kerala Grandhasala Sangham, heartbroken as people
play petty politics.
(b) Gives shape to a new organisation 'KANFED'(Kerala Association for Non
formal Education & Development) to give an impetus to functional literacy.
(c) Undertakes another 'padayatra' from Kasaragod to Parassala outlining the
importance of being literate.
1985 Ezhome of the Kannur district becomes the first village to attain cent percent
literacy.
1991 Kerala attains cent percent literacy and becomes the first state in India to do so.
25 Jul 1991 Mrs. PN Panicker passes into the mist of time giving him a deep body blow.
19 Jun 1995 PN Panicker passes into the mist of time at the age of 86 years plunging the
Malayalees into eternal grief.
Tailpiece.
1. An amazing body of work! He'd always expressed a desire to pass into oblivion doing karma and he had achieved that.
2. My grandfather bestest!
PS.
(a) I was fortunate to see my great grandmother in my growing years.
(b) The Panickers have seven children and my mom is their eldest child. Actually, they'd nine but lost a son and a daughter when both were quite young.
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