Lucknow, Oct 14 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday urged young people to read biographies and autobiographies of eminent personalities to draw inspiration from their lives, saying books could serve as important guides in an era when people spend hours on social media.
Speaking at the launch of the Hindi edition of former president Ram Nath Kovind’s autobiography, ‘Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles’, published by Rupa Publications, Adityanath also said that instead of making reels for likes, living one’s real life would be more useful.
“If a person can save even one or two hours from the five to seven hours spent on social media platforms on smartphones and devote that time to reading books, it would be far more beneficial,” he said.
“Young people should spend more time reading books. Instead of making reels on social media for likes, living one’s real life would be more useful,” the chief minister said.
He also said the Uttar Pradesh government is working to promote reading by establishing libraries and digital libraries across educational institutions and gram panchayats.
Under the initiative, 57,600 gram secretariats have been established in the state, each with a dedicated room for a library, Adityanath said.
The chief minister also highlighted the growing public interest in book fairs organised in Lucknow and Gorakhpur, recalling that sales at these events had exceeded expectations.
The National Book Trust was initially sceptical about the public response to book fairs, but it witnessed encouraging participation and book sales in both cities, he said.
“We should provide people with a platform and a means to access good books,” he said, urging publishers to make quality literature widely available.
Praising Kovind’s life journey, Adityanath said his autobiography offers an account of a person who turned adversity into an opportunity through struggle and hard work to progress, rather than allowing deprivation to become an obstacle.
Born into a poor family at Paraunkh village in Kanpur Dehat district, Kovind lost his mother at a young age but did not allow his circumstances to deter him, the chief minister said.
He studied in a village school, pursued higher education and became a lawyer, giving voice to the poor and disadvantaged, Adityanath said.
He subsequently served as a member of the BJP, the Rajya Sabha, became the governor of Bihar, before becoming the President of India, Adityanath said.
“He chose the path of struggle, hard work and perseverance,” the chief minister said, adding that Kovind’s journey from a modest village to the country’s top constitutional office offered an important lesson for the younger generation.
Adityanath also praised Kovind’s attachment to his birthplace and old acquaintances, saying that reaching a high constitutional position did not distance him from his roots.
Referring to the Indian tradition of respecting one’s birthplace, Adityanath invoked Lord Ram’s words on the importance of one’s motherland, saying that material prosperity should not weaken a person’s connection with their origins.
The chief minister also stressed the need for students, educational institutions and panchayats to undertake self-assessment and focus on guiding the younger generation.
Congratulating Kovind and his family on the release of the Hindi edition of his autobiography, Adityanath said the Uttar Pradesh government would promote the book and encourage students to read it.
The event was attended by Kovind’s wife Savita Kovind, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana, state ministers Suresh Kumar Khanna and Asim Arun, and Rupa Publications Managing Director Kapish Mehra, among others.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had released the book’s English edition on August 12.
The book provides insights into the values, experiences and circumstances that shaped the 14th President’s journey and public service.
(PTI News)
