Sangareddy: Inspired by the Sarvodaya movement and Gandhian philosophy, a group of doctors set up the Sarvodaya Grama Seva Foundation (SGSF) to take up a movement to set up libraries in addition to improving the skill base among children living in rural parts of Sangareddy district.
The doctors – Chandra Krishna, Ajesh Raj Saxena, M Manoj Reddy, Upendra, P Suresh Kumar led by Dr Sudhakar Nayak, an IRS officer working in Hyderabad now, have done appreciable work since the first lockdown was imposed in March 2020.
Speaking to Telangana Today, Dr Nayak said about 70 to 80 doctors who studied in Osmania and Gandhi Medical Colleges have decided to set up libraries in villages using money they donated. Dr Nayak set up a library in Abbenda village of Narayankhed mandal to mark his daughter’s first birthday in 2019. Enthused by this, the Income Tax Officers Association set up a library at Gongulur. Two more libraries were established with the support of Vimala Foundation in Hanumantha Rao Pet and Nizampet villages. The Sarvodaya Foundation is planning to start a library in Yeddumailaram shortly. The foundation spends about Rs 5,000 per month to buy periodicals and towards wages of caretakers.
Dr Chandra Krishna said efforts were on to form village library committees in consultation with the local government school teachers to bring an overall change among the children. Dr Ajesh Raj Saxena said the foundation would also organise competitions in essay writing, elocution and book reading to help children improve their skills and personality. He said the efforts have resulted in a visible change among the children of Zilla Parishad High School in Gongulu, where students began to speak fluent English within two years of their effort.
Stating that motivating children to pursue a career in sports was also one of their objectives, Dr Saxena said efforts were on to start sports academies close to these libraries. While Vimala Foundation had already come forward to set up sports academies, Sarvodaya Foundation is trying to raise funds to set up academies at various villages.
Meanwhile, Dr Saxena and his wife Dr Sumina Reddy have also decided to set up a library on their own expense at a village soon. Since a number of friends who were working as doctors were coming forward to join hands with them, Dr Manoj Reddy said they were aiming to set up libraries across Sangareddy district to bring a change among rural children.
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