Malappuram district is one of the wealthiest districts in the state of Kerala. Replete with natural resources – rubber plantations, coconut trees, herbs etc. and some breathtaking sceneries, Malappuram is one of the hidden treasures of Kerala. There is abundance of money – pouring in from the Gulf countries and the many Keralites who have settled abroad.

Despite all the money and infrastructure available, Malappuram is also one of the most backward in terms of education. There are plenty of schools around but children don’t find a reason to go to schools for a variety of reasons – poor management, bad teachers, poor infrastructure etc among the many.

Deepa Narayanan is an exception, though. Deepa Narayanan is a 13 year old girl studying in the 8^th standard in the Cheekode High School in Cheekode Panchayat near Kondotty in the Malappuram District. Deepa wants to study and become a doctor. Her father, Narayanan Nair, is a waiter at Kadavu resort, and doesn’t have the resources to purchase her regular syllabus books – leave alone additional reference materials. Deepa’s future looks uncertain and her dream of becoming a doctor will only remain a dream.

Who is to be blamed ?

The father who toils day and night to give a brighter future for his kids ? Or the government which lacks farsightedness – not to have created an efficient library system in Kerala or for that matter in India?

This is not a case in isolation. In fact, all over India across thousands of villages and cities, there are thousands and thousands who are in a similar situation not able to afford the bare minimum books required to study further and be one among the shining stars of India, for no fault of theirs. Even if there are any public libraries, the way they are maintained speaks volumes of the misuse of public money with absolutely poor infrastructure, unqualified librarians, lack of technology etc.

My vision 2020 for India is to set up unparalleled library system all across India where every citizen of India can freely access books and educational material free of cost. A public library should be made available every 5 square kilometer in populated areas.

The benefits of an advanced library system are invaluable – Employment opportunities, infrastructure development etc to name a few. This is besides a stream of talents that churn out from the remotest places in India, trying to compete and take India to the next level. The faster the concerned authorities realize the better for India.

I have seen it work in the United States. There is no reason to believe that it will not work in India. Yes, it calls for funding, infrastructure, manpower, technology, planned sourcing etc. So what ? What are the Tatas, Ambanis and the Mittals doing with their billions? Or when will the government account for proper utilization of resources. Isn’t it only appropriate that the money is better utilized for initiatives like this?

There is so much of wealth created in India that setting up a library system of this magnitude should not pinch the government or the private sector, to say the very least. I’d like to see someone take ownership of something like this and set a strong foundation for the India of tomorrow so that we could see thousands of Deepa Narayanans blossoming.

Image Credit: bslavin

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