PUDUKKOTTAI: Yembal’s Additional Public Health Centre (APHC) Medical Officer Dr. Yembal Raja received an award for buying book for the tune of Rs 88,102 during the recently concluded Pudukkottai bookfair. Film director Pandiarajan presented the award.
Over thousand books were bought by the doctor this year from February 14 to 23 from the book fair organised at Pudukkottai townhall. Speaking to TNIE regarding his interest in reading, Dr. Yembal Raja said, “From my childhood I have been into books and developing my knowledge through it. Karl Marx, Dr.
Ambedkar and Periyar and many great leaders have inspired me through books. I collect political and scientific books and find time to read them.”
When asked about the amount of books he had brought, he said, “I have a collection of books at my home, night schools I run at Alangudi and Papanviduthi and at the APHC I work at. They are small libraries. The collection at my home is mostly scientific, political and profession related. The ones at the night schools have school education related ones that may help them with home work and studies and books that may inculcate scientific temper among students.”
Whereas the collection at the APHC was about general health and also nursing related. He said, “When patients wait for their results or turn to consult with the doctor they may use the time reading from the shelves. And who knows, they may develop a reading habit, if they already don’t have.”
He said that he continuously updates the collection at all the small libraries he had set up.
Speaking about the sales in general N Muthunilavan from Tamil Nadu Science Forum and also member of the fair’s organising committee said, “Over Rs 1 crore worth books were sold. This was more than what we expected. This shows a healthy culture in Pudukkottai.”