Imphal, August 09 2010: The year-long golden jubilee celebration of State Central Library, Imphal formally concluded along with an impressive function at its Keishampat auditorium here today.

Padmashree Rajkumar Jhalajit Singh, exCommissioner of Art and Culture Pangambam Bhorot Singh and incumbent Commissioner of Art and Culture RK Nimai attended the inaugural function as chief guest, guest of honour and president respectively.

Established on August 9, 1958, the golden jubilee celebration of the State Central Library, Imphal has been going on since October last year.

Various activities including essay writing competition, symposium, discussion session, recitation contest, short story reading session, etc have been organised during the course of the year-long event.

On the concluding function today, Sahitya Akademi awardees Nongthombam Kunjamohan and Elangbam Dinamani read out short-stories while B Jayentakumar Sharma, S Bhanumati Devi, Moirangthem Rajendra and Laishram Samarendra recited poems written by themselves.

Another Sahitya Akademi awardee Dr M Priyobarta presented a paper on the role of books in the bringing about social change.

The chief guest of the function also released a souvenir to mark the occasion.

Prizes of the essay writing competition organised for students of class IX to XII in July last in connection with the golden jubilee celebration were also distributed among the winners.

Gambhir Das of Nambol Higher Secondary School, Irom Gojendrajit of Bal Vidya Mandir Higher Secondary School, Kongpal and Tongbram Loibikhomba Meetei of Standard Robert Higher Secondary School respectively won the first, second and third prize of the competition held on the topic of 'Role of public library in education'.

Consolation prizes were also given to two other student competitors.

Speaking as chief guest of the function, Rajkumar Jhalajit observed that library is the backbone of a progressive society.

So, all of us cultivate the habit of reading and work for the betterment of the society.

In his presidential address, Dr RK Nimai informed that the gathering that efforts are being made for revival of the State Central Library after it had been gutted in a fire.

Observing that nothing can substitute the importance of books, he exhorted the younger generation to understand the importance of library and its role in the society.

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