Tamil Nadu

Union Minister promises assistance for library in Pudukottai

Worthy compliment: P. Krishnamoorthy, founder of Gnanalaya Research Library, Pudukottai, right, presenting a book to Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests S. Regupathy on Sunday.

PUDUKOTTAI: It was a series of surprises on Sunday morning. Firstly, the office-bearers of the Gnanalaya Research Library were taken by a surprise, when Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests S. Regupathy visited the library.

In turn, the Minister was surprised when he chanced to go through rare collections on various topics during his maiden visit to the library. Mr. Regupathy spent quite some time intently reading certain references from a few books.

A couple of book that attracted him most.

The first book “Molly and the Rajah” authored by Race Coralie Younger and Edward Duyker described the life of Marthanda Bairava Thondaiman of the Pudukottai Samasthanam, who had sacrificed his kingdom for the sake of his lover. The other book “Chettiar Heritage” authored by S. Muthiah; Meenakshi Meyyappan and Vijayalakshmi Ramasamy depicted the ancient values of the Chettinad heritage.

The Founder of the Library, P. Krishnamoorthy, briefed the Minister on the rate titles being preserved at the library. Mr. Regupathy assured the office-bearers of the Library that he would soon take steps to provide all facilities needed so that it could be elevated to the status of one of the important national libraries in the country.

He would draw the attention of the Central government to provide adequate additional infrastructure for its further development. The Members of the Advisory Committee of the Library, S. Arokyasamy; S. Ramadass and R. Sundaram pointed out that the availability of the first edition of rare books was the salient features of the library. Research scholars, who preferred non-abridged editions, were the largest beneficiaries of the library, they said.

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