Reading — A Lifelong Gift
Reading is not a one-time lesson. It is a lifelong gift, one that must be given continuously, patiently, and with care.
During the years of a child’s physical growth and intellectual development, they must be surrounded by books of every kind, colourful picture books, books with few words, and books that invite curiosity before demanding comprehension. If we wait until a child can read on their own before placing a book in their hands, we may already be too late.
This gift can begin even before a child is born. And as a child grows, if they see someone at home reading regularly, without being told to, without fanfare, they will reach for books themselves. No instruction will be needed. The truth is, in recent times, it is we adults who have stopped reading. And when we stop, we quietly lose the right to wonder why our children do not read.
If both parents and teachers make a sustained, sincere effort, children will read. What matters greatly is the choice of books, books suited to the child’s age, books that spark curiosity and draw them in. As children grow older, they are drawn to adventure and mystery. And further still, they begin to seek out books rooted in real events and real lives.
Our attitude toward books matters just as much as the books themselves. Asking a child, “What lesson did you learn from that book?” or “What inspiration did you take?” places invisible shackles on their feet as they walk toward reading. Every seed planted eventually grows, and every book read leaves its mark on the reader. What is required is simply patience.
Reading does not allow the mind to remain still. It shifts the direction of thought. It creates an awareness of the mistakes of the past so they need not be repeated in the future. It produces children who are independent and clear in their thinking, children with a firmness of character. Children who read will not quietly accept injustice. They will find the courage to speak against it.
In today’s world, with both parents occupied with work, children often find themselves alone at home. But a child surrounded by books is never truly alone. If the love of reading has taken root by then, that child will keep searching, keep reading, keep growing, on their own.
The biographies of great personalities, their experiences, their life journeys, these have shaped countless lives across generations. A generation that reads will produce the strong, grounded leadership that this country needs.
At Dnyanprakash, efforts to nurture a reading culture among children have been ongoing for the past twenty-five years.
One experiment that proved to be deeply successful is Prakat Vachan, Read Aloud sessions. When a book is chosen for each class and read aloud by the teacher, we noticed that children’s emotional development deepened noticeably. We decided to make it a consistent practice. What happened next was remarkable: children began coming to teachers and asking, “Which book should I read next?” Books read in the classroom began travelling home with children. And parents started sharing their own reactions to these books with us.
Through our book exhibitions, carefully curated and high-quality books have been made available to Dnyanprakash parents and students alike.
When schools shut during the COVID period, our reading did not stop. The school paid annual subscriptions on behalf of students and ensured books reached them throughout the year. Audio clips of books being read aloud were shared in parent groups, and entire families listened to them together.
Reading, in its truest sense, is a shaping of the mind. When it becomes a habit, a child will never stop searching for what is new, what is true, what is next. This is a tonic that strengthens the inner self, and it is something we as parents and educators must give our children without hesitation.
It is in this spirit that Dnyanprakash launched Mission Silent Reading, timed to coincide with the April birth anniversaries of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. Every second and fourth Saturday of the month, arrangements have been made in a calm, natural setting for parents to come to school and do one thing only, read. Simply read.
Our belief has always been that families who read, who find mental stillness in books, are the families this world needs more of.
We are simply waiting for you to find the time, and come.
Savita Narhare
Director & Headmistress
Dnyanprakash Educational Project, Latur