Books can take you away from your misery and sorrows and pull you into their magical worlds in no time. And so much can be done not just by the books, but by the book lovers too.
Take this bureaucrat, for instance. Based in Imphal, Manipur, IAS officer Ms. Pooja Elangbam came up with the idea to form a ‘book club’ for people who loved to read as also to also motivate anyone who wished to begin reading. In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, she talked about her endeavor.
‘BOOK CLUB’ OF IMPHAL
As the IAS officer freshly came out from her training in LBSNAA, Mussoorie, and was given her first posting as a probationer, she decided to share her love of books with the younger generation.
“I have been in love with books since my childhood and I wished to share the same joy that I feel with others too. Therefore, I put up a post on social media asking people if they’d like to meet to discuss or recommend books to each other. People were genuinely interested in it and around 50- 60 people turned up to share our memories of books, our favorite novels, poetries, and songs, etc.” says Ms. Elangbam.
REGULAR MEET-UPS
The young IAS officer wished to make it a regular practice, therefore; she decided to properly structure everything. She made a core team with members who planned all the events and meet-ups.
“Gradually, we decided to do something more engaging. So we started having quizzes on books and pop culture, music, debates, and I also began screening movies at my house,” she told Indian Masterminds.
COVID INDUCED PAUSE
The book club began in June 2019 and the first year was extremely active and engaging. It also had its own literary and art magazine. But it got a little hard for them when Covid19 struck the world.
“We were preparing for an art and photography exhibition and suddenly everything came to a stand-still. But we decided to continue our activities online. We recently held a debating competition on the advantages and disadvantages of online classes,” she added.
The officer is also going live on her social media handles, interacting with various personalities from North East who are prominent figures in science, culture, sports, etc., and are making a name for themselves. This she is doing to motivate others. The book club, on the other hand, has an active membership of around 300 people.
A REJUVENATING EXPERIENCE
Ms. Elangbam says the Book Club provides her with a refreshing experience as she loves to read and write in her free time. She feels happy to be able to connect with people through book-related activities.
“I was lucky to have parents and teachers who made learning fun and not monotonous. I am happy to now further share my interest with others,’’ she adds.
COUNSELING THE YOUNGSTERS
Many people come to Ms. Elangbam to receive career counseling and she helps them as much as she can. When she is unable to help them fully, she guides them to seek professional help.
“A lot of youngsters come to me with mental health problems, especially the ones who feel extremely pressured by their parents and teachers to excel in academics. I try and talk to their parents as well and recommend proper psychologists and counselors to them. I feel I get to learn something new every day from these youngsters as well,” Ms. Elangbam told Indian Masterminds.
It’s time we have more book clubs and book lovers like Ms. Elangbam in other parts of India as well.
