Book wall bridges the gap

Satyasarathi Poddar celebrated his 12th birthday on Thursday not counting his gifts but gifting his books to the Great Wall of Education at City Centre.

Among the 30 books that the Class VI student gave to be passed on to children who cannot afford to buy them was 1000 Words in Pictures gifted on his second birthday by his uncle and aunt. The message on the first page of the dictionary read: ‘With a hope that you do not tear it up’.

“I haven’t torn the book, and I now want to give it to some kids who can make as much use of it as I did…. My uncle and aunt would be very happy,” said the Bhavan’s Gangabux Kanoria Vidya Mandir boy from Bangur.

Not long before Satyasarathi came to the Aviva Great Wall of Education, Dipak Basu, 75, and wife Maitreyee, 70, had arrived at the Salt Lake landmark from Jodhpur Park, armed with 25 books.

“The distance (or even his arthritic limp) does not matter considering the cause that we are giving the books for,” said Dipak Basu, carrying mostly physics books of his son, a professor at University of California. “He does not need these anymore. And I did not know we could also bring storybooks, so I will come back with some before Sunday.”

Day 2 of the giant book donation drive for underprivileged children saw the young and old trickling in to make the wall grow taller and wider. After the five-day drive, the wall of books will be dismantled and distributed by the Paschim Banga Sarva Shiksha Mission, Save the Children India and CINI Asha among children in need.

The early stars of Thursday were a host of Loreto House girls in uniform and educationist Barry O’Brien, who added three general knowledge books written by him and around a hundred textbooks from his children’s kitty. “Every book counts, every child is special,” Barry wrote on the message board.

“This book drive should continue, let’s make this a movement,” urged the convener of The Telegraph School Awards for Excellence.

Ramesh Kumar Ruia and wife Ambika were there all the way from Alipore, not with a book each but with five cartons of books. “If I have to read them all it would take me 46 more years. I will be happy if others read it,” said Ruia, stealing one last glance at his prized possessions. “Back in 1986, when I was studying in Philadelphia, the winters were very lonely and these books would keep me company. The collection also has pregnancy books that I got for my wife and bringing these books here transported me 20 years back when our twin sons were born,” he added.

Age and generation gaps were bridged as the wall grew steadily. Grandfather Ramen Mukherjee, the retired head of zoology in Scottish Church College, arrived with grandchildren Rayan and Abhista Goswami. Little Abhista looked downcast. “I have given 20 books, but none of my friends agreed to come along. I will keep trying to convince them,” said the Class IV girl.

Dipali Sarkar, 63, came with her husband and four bags of books, having realised that they would never have enough space in their Salt Lake flat to build a full library. Kushagra Kanoi, 4, parted with two of his colouring and animal sound books after being promised a gift of two new books for his good deed of the day by his mother.

Alka Kedia, 54, from Alipore used a different method with her sons. “After I read in the newspaper today I screamed at them and got them to take out their old books,” said the homemaker with two cartons of books.

The thought of the day came from Diya Majumder. “I’ve got my fairy-tale stories for the children who can’t buy books. I’m sure they would not be happy reading only textbooks,” said the Class VII girl.


Jhinuk Muzumdar and Madhurima Chatterjee, The Telegraph Metro