Elderly residents of ‘Book Village’ find literacy with help from youths
ALIPURDUAR: Elderly residents of “Book Village” in the Alipurduar district are now striving hard to become literate. Inspired by their village Panijhor’s transformation into the ‘Book Village,’ 15 school and college students have taken up the role of teachers, helping elderly residents learn to read and write.
Panijhora, a small village nestled in the Buxa Tiger Reserve, 15 km from Alipurduar, has been officially labelled as West Bengal’s first ‘Book Village’ by the district administration. The village now features 15 small libraries, each housed in local residences, as well as a central library. Local artists have also contributed by painting murals on the walls of homes, depicting scenes related to
reading and literature
A unique sight greets people visiting Panijhora, — elderly residents, some as old as 80, sitting with young “Sir” and “Madams,” learning to write their names. Kulbahadur Chhetri, an 82-year-old resident, is one such dedicated student. Due to family responsibilities, he was unable to pursue studies in his youth. Now, with the help of these young teachers, he is learning to write his name. “I never had the chance to study when it was needed the most. Now, at this age, I’m learning from my grandchildren and it feels wonderful,” Chhetri shared. “I will keep learning and hope to read books soon,” he added.
Chhetri, along with others like Nimli Marak and Dhandhari Oraon, missed out on education due to financial or work-related constraints. To address this, a group of 15 young students surveyed the village and identified 48 illiterate individuals, including elderly residents and school dropouts. In the first phase, five elderly people, aged 50 to 80, were selected for the program.
Sudha Toppo, a college student, described the joy of teaching the elderly. “It’s a new experience for us. We are students, but now we are also teachers in our village. The elderly wish to read books and write their names, and soon they will be able to.”
Literacy sessions are held at elderly residents’ homes, with young teachers dedicating an hour daily using slates and pencils. After the first five learners complete their lessons, the initiative will expand to the rest of the village. Samir Toppo, a recent graduate, said: “We aim for universal literacy in a year.” District Magistrate R. Vimala praised the effort, highlighting the joy and impact of education.
