The importance of books has been increasing in these changing times and a system has to be developed to preserve books for the future generations, said Excise Minister Kollu Ravindra.
Participating as chief guest in a programme organised on the concluding day of 36th Vijayawada Book Festival on Monday, the Minister said collective efforts need to be made to preserve books and to make them accessible to all.
Recalling that reading books helped him gain confidence after losing his first election, he said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also encouraged people to cultivate reading habit.
Likening the bond shared between a reader and their favourite book to the one shared between a mother and her child, NTR District Collector G. Lakshmisha said such bonds never grow old.
Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) Head A. Ravi Krishna said that receiving education in one’s mother tongue helped intellectual growth, and urged parents to inculcate the habit of reading in children from an early age. He also asked the parents to join hands with the government in its efforts to make the State drug free.
Later, A.P. State Public Libraries Director A. Krishnamohan and Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao Official Language Commission president P. Trivikram Rao spoke about the importance of books and libraries in a person’s life.
At the Jayant Narlikar Pratibha Vedika, a venue set up at the festival, prizes were distributed to winners of competitions organised for children during the 11-day exhibition.
Published – January 12, 2026 11:01 pm IST
