Turning pages, not scrolling: Bhadrak man’s mission for young readers

Bhubaneswar: With schools reopening after the summer vacation, Bhadrak’s Bikash Satpathy is preparing for an unusual back-to-school task. Over the next few weeks, he will travel across Basudevpur and nearby areas in Bhadrak district, as well as parts of neighbouring Bahanaga in Balasore, collecting more than 1,000 books he lent to children during the two-month break.For many, summer holidays are synonymous with mobile phones, video games and endless hours on social media. But Basudevpur-based Satpathy spent this time trying to offer children a different companion - books.Through his ‘Mobile Chada, Bahi Padha’ initiative and a network of volunteers, he distributed storybooks, novels, poetry collections and children's literature among students, encouraging them to spend at least part of their vacation reading.Now, as classrooms fill up again, the books are making their way back to his shelves. The exercise of collecting them is no small task, but Satpathy said it is one he looks forward to. What brings him satisfaction is not the return of the books, but the possibility that some of the children who borrowed them may have discovered the joy of reading. Every book returned, he believes, is evidence that at least one child chose a story over a screen, a poem over a social media feed.

Satpathy, who belongs to Bahanaga, shifted to Basudevpur many years ago when his wife was transferred there. In Bahanaga, he established a library-cum-museum with his own resources in 1990 to promote the habit of reading among local residents. He continues to travel to Bahanaga every alternate day to manage the library-cum-museum and extend his campaign to students there.His decades-long association with books eventually inspired him to take reading beyond the walls of the library.

The initiative, he said, began with a simple concern a year ago. Over the years, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic, he noticed children increasingly spending their free hours scrolling on mobile phones, often at the cost of outdoor activities and reading. Convinced that books could offer a healthier and more enriching alternative, he began collecting children's books from friends, well-wishers and donors.

What started as a modest effort soon grew into a community-driven campaign being taken forward by Satpathy’s team of volunteers which is made up primarily of retired teachers who share his vision.“This summer vacation, we travelled to many areas in Basudevpur and Bahanaga, which is just 15 km away, to distribute books among children in neighbourhoods, schools and coaching centres,” he said.To ensure the books reach as many readers as possible, Satpathy maintains a detailed register of every title distributed.

“This campaign finds support from teachers at private schools and coaching centres because government schools already have their libraries. I give out books and record them in my register, while teachers help collect them back after 15 days or a month, which is usually the time a child takes to finish reading a book,” he said.His library-cum-museum has earned recognition among librarians across several districts, prompting many people to donate books every month.“There are several Good Samaritans who ask me how they can help keep the library and the campaign running. I just ask them for books,” said Satpathy, who, after completing his education at Utkal University, decided to open a library for children in his village. His wife works at the Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers Federation.The campaign extends beyond the summer vacation. On weekends, Satpathy and his volunteers visit neighbourhoods, school hostels and public spaces, handing out books and encouraging children to form reading circles and discuss what they read.

In some places, impromptu reading sessions are organised where children gather to read aloud and share their thoughts on stories.“We also hold debate and storytelling competitions and reward winners with books and small prizes. It helps children improve their reading, speaking and comprehension skills,” he said.For Satpathy, the effort is about much more than books. It is an attempt to preserve a habit that he fears is gradually fading in an age dominated by digital distractions. Every child who picks up a book, he believes, is taking a small but meaningful step towards curiosity, imagination and lifelong learning.