Booked with purpose: IISER scholar's rural library bridging access gaps to quality books, edu resources

WHEN Biswajit Panda observed the gaping holes in access to quality books and educational resources at Badabarchikayan, his native village under Bonth block of Bhadrak district, he knew he had to do something about it.

- ASHUTOSH ACHARYA @ Bhubaneswar

A PhD scholar in biological sciences at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Berhampur, Biswajit says it was this gap that pushed him to come up with a rural library so that people of his village could benefit from it. And, Vanipeeth Library came into being. The facility has now been temporarily set up in a 150 sq ft room, which is occasionally used by a local self-help group to hold meetings.

The initiative, as he says, stemmed from the fact people in villages often lack proper libraries or bookstores. "Aspiring candidates preparing for competitive exams like the UPSC, PSC and NDA, also struggle to get the necessary study materials, which are often expensive," he adds.