By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 1 Sep: The Departments of Library and Information Science and English jointly organised a two-day National Seminar on “Changing Role of Academic Libraries and Literature in the Light of NEP 2020” from 30 to 31 August at the seminar hall of Sparsh Himalayan University. The seminar commenced with a warm welcome to all the guests, followed by an inaugural ceremony. The lamp was lit by Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, the former Union Education Minister, and the Chief Guest, Dr Sanjeev K Sunny, Librarian, IIT Roorkee. Aashna Kandiyal Negi, a research scholar from Sparsh Himalayan University, anchored the inaugural session. The event began with a Saraswati Vandana performed by the students.
Dr Nishank then addressed the gathering and emphasised the significance of the two-day workshop, noting that it comes at a critical time when the implementation of NEP 2020 is progressing rapidly, amid a period of global instability where the world is looking to India as a “Vishwaguru”.
Dr Nishank welcomed all the students and research scholars, particularly those who reside abroad but keep India close to their hearts. Referring to the “Udan 2022” initiative, he stressed the need for a global vision of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” and the role of education in achieving it.
In his address, Chief Guest Dr Sanjeev K Sunny began by reflecting on the significance of NEP 2020 and the role of libraries as outlined in the laws of library science. Dr Sunny highlighted a quote by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, stating that a library is a place where the present meets the past. He defined the evolving role of libraries through the lens of NEP 2020, emphasising that libraries are special spaces of learning that must prioritise the availability and accessibility of books, especially for users with special needs.
Chancellor Professor Pradeep Kumar Bharadwaj expressed his appreciation for the successful organisation of the seminar within a short timeframe.
Professor KN Jena, Vice-Chancellor of Himalaya University, expressed gratitude to the Departments of Library and English for conceptualising and organising the seminar. He acknowledged the role played by Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in the development of NEP 2020.
Following this, Ashwani K Gavaskar, a poet from the Netherlands, was warmly welcomed. She serves as the Global Ambassador of Women’s Magazines and has numerous publications to her credit. Her book, “Ashwani Ki Kavyanjali”, was inaugurated by Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.
In addition to this, a book by Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, titled “What is not possible (“Kya Nahi Ho Sakta), which was translated by Dr. Nidhi Upadhyay and by Dr Indu Bharti Ghildiyal, was also unveiled during the event.
On the second day, the seminar officially commenced with a warm welcome to the Chief Guest for the Closing Ceremony. The day’s sessions were introduced by Dr Indu Bharti Ghildiyal. Specific subjects were addressed by Dr Vivekanand Jain, BHU, Varanasi, Dr Geetali Saha, GCET, Anand, Gujarat, Dr Manasi Thapliyal Navani, Dr BR Ambedkar University, Delhi, Dr Kiran Chaturvedi, BHU, Varanasi, Dr Bijayani Mishra, Maitreyi College, New Delhi, Dr Alka Rai, Dr BR Ambedkar University, Delhi, Prof Binod Mishra, IIT Roorkee, Prof Mudita Agnihotri, Haridwar, Dr Pallavi Mishra, Dehradun, etc.
In the Paper Presentation session, students were divided into two rooms, each getting an opportunity to share their research. The session provided a great learning experience for everyone involved, as students presented papers on a variety of intriguing topics that aligned with Library Science and NEP 2020. These topics included Social-Emotional Learning, Sign Language and Digital Learning, Libraries as Spaces for Inclusive Education, Feminism in Today’s World, and Literature, among others.
