Delhi’s Rajendra Nagar much like Mukherjee Nagar, is a hub of UPSC coaching centers with a slew of libraries. But, to think of such a library in Azamgarh, in Eastern UP, was even unimaginable. Azamgarh has been notorious for producing gangsters like Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Abu Salem and exporting workforce to the Gulf countries. The 2019 batch IPS officer Mr Shakti Avasthy has however, realized the impossible-looking dream by creating a full-functional Rajendra Nagar-like library in the police lines premises there for the kids of the police families.
Cops staying in police line quarters don’t have enough space for their children to study without distractions. That’s why Mr Avasthy set up the library for the wards of policemen besides young constables and sub-inspectors who wants to prepare for higher competitive exams.
Speaking to Indian Masterminds, IPS officer Shakti Avasthy who is currently posted as Additional DCP, Noida said, “I spent three years in Rajendra Nagar for my UPSC CSE preparation and therefore got the inspiration from there.”
During his second posting in Azamgarh, while handling his duties, he also got the additional charge of the police line as CO. That was when he realized that the wards of the policemen were struggling to concentrate on their studies. They were unable to get a distraction-free setup and a 24*7 internet facility in the least developed district in the Eastern part of Uttar Pradesh.
FACILITIES
There are 58 cubicles in the library in the space of 2 by 2 feet armed with 24*7 internet facility and a power socket in every cubicle. The library is free of cost. It has provision of newspapers, magazines and books that will help the kids prepare for any competitive exams.
The books will be made available from crowd sourcing. They will also get like NCERT, novels, and books for competitive exams from the National Book of Trust (NBT). This is being done in order to help aspirants in making their foundation strong. “General people can also come and donate books for the library,” he added.
The entire library was set up in Rs 2.5 lakh that the department gets every year from the government for the welfare works.
FEEDBACK
Mr. Avasthy also informed that the library has been thrown open and they are getting good feedback from users as there wasn’t any library in the police line so far. It has a daily footfall of 15-20 civil service aspirants and other readers as well. “In future we are thinking of opening the library for the general public as well,” he added.
