Just when the bookshops are disappearing at a frightening pace from most cities of India, causing consternation among the reading class, this IAS officer has done something really remarkable. He has set up a library, that too in a remote corner of Nagaland.
The place where the library now stands is a town called Pungro, and the IAS officer who got it set up is the region’s Additional Deputy Commissioner Mr. Abhinav Shivam. He is a 2016-batch officer from the AGMUT cadre.
Mr. Abhinav Shivam told Indian Masterminds the idea of a library came to him as soon as he came to Pungro. “I decided to arrange a chunk of books for the students so that they could also have access to knowledge apart from their school curriculum. This is how I thought of initiating the library. I found the place for it too, a half-constructed building of the Pungro Area College Students’ Union (PACSU),” he said.
For a book lover, there could not be a worse place than Pungro. The place does not have a single book store; even finding a magazine here to read is next to impossible. This is the situation Mr. Shivam encountered in his posting in Pungro.
Students’ Union President Extends the Helping Hand
To his pleasant surprise, Mr Shivam found that the president of the students’ union, Tokiu Yimchungrü, came forward to help in the setting up of the library. The work on the library started in March 2020 but had to be shelved with the arrival of Covid 19. The construction started after two months when the lockdown was partially lifted in Pungro. We began the construction, and as a first step, we added furniture in the library. But now the bigger question arose: how to fill the empty library with books.
At this point, the IAS officer’s wife Ms. Neha Chaudhary came out with an idea: why not appeal for book donations on social media? Mr. Shivam gave his go ahead, and lo and behold, books started pouring him from unexpected quarters.
Mr. Sanjeev Chopra, Director of LBSNAA sent 100 books the day after I started the drive on social media. I was really amazed by his kind gesture. An organization named Valley of Words also sent 100 books. One Indian Forest Services (IFS) officer of Nagaland, Mr. Suman, contributed 200 books. Ms. Swati Rai, wife of a Colonel serving in Nagaland has donated 100 books. Even the Hindi film actress Swara Bhaskar also pledged to donate 500 books.
Mr. ABHINAV SHIVAM, Additional DC, pugro
He Saw the Spark in Naga Youth
Mr. Shivam sees lots of possibilities in the youth of Nagaland and feels that libraries would be very important for them. “One thing Nagaland state is ready for is the service industry,’’ says Mr. Shivam, adding, No matter what all problems these students are facing, they have good control over reading and writing in English. Due to church congregations which are conducted every week on Sundays and Wednesdays, religious books are recited and various people also participate in choir and singing activities.
This has developed confidence among them and can be linked to the service industry. We just now need to guide them through the various professions which are suitable for each student according to their skills and qualifications. I have also been working on getting funds to install various computers so that they have access to online magazines etc. The other thing I am working on is collecting the folk tales of Nagaland. Lastly, I am thinking of making this library as the center of extra-curricular activities where students can gain knowledge apart from school studies.”
The library would not have existed but for the overwhelming support of many well-wishers. They include, in the words of Mr. Shivam, Nuhta Tuni who is the circle officer in Pungro, apart from the previous ADC of Pungro. My current District Collector Ms. Sarita Yadav has also played a big role in supporting this project.’’
Another important person without whose help the library would not have seen the light of the day is Mr. Shivam’s wife Neha Chaudhary. A doctor by profession, Ms. Choudhary was working at the Fortis Hospital, NOIDA, before leaving her job and joining Mr. Shivam in Pungro.
Besides helping her husband in setting up the library, she also played an important role in fighting against coronavirus. “She has conducted health checkups and also contributed her bit during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also been very interactive with the students in Pungro, and will also donate Kindle e-book reader to the library,” said Mr. Shivam.
Well, India not only needs books, bookstores, and libraries but also officers like Mr. Shivam.
