Students of St. Agnes Higher Primary School, Bendoor, at the ‘Odona, Beliyona: Indina Odu – Naalina Yashassu’ programme held at the school on Tuesday.
\| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The Dakshina Kannada chapter of the Karnataka State Library Association (KALA), in association with the St. Agnes College (Autonomous) library, inaugurated its student-centric initiative ‘Odona, Beliyona: Indina Odu – Naalina Yashassu’ (Read today, win tomorrow: Today’s reading – Tomorrow’s success) at St. Agnes Higher Primary School, Bendoor, on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Vishala B. K., president of the Dakshina Kannada chapter of KALA, said the initiative is a long-term community engagement programme aimed at fostering a love for reading among schoolchildren at the primary and high school levels, with a special focus on students studying in Kannada-medium schools. The project seeks to nurture lifelong reading habits from an early age and cultivate a culture of reading among young learners.

Inaugurating the initiative, M. Venissa, principal of the college, said that a person who reads a book can share that knowledge with thousands of others. Reading dispels ignorance, and knowledge is power, she said.

She commended KALA’s vision of promoting reading habits among children and inspiring librarians to reach the roots of young minds, thereby nurturing a culture of reading, curiosity and lifelong learning among the younger generation.

Sessions on inculcating reading habits for success in life were conducted on the occasion.

Rajatha P. Shetty, chief librarian, SDM Institute of Technology, Ujire, and vice-president of the KALA Dakshina Kannada chapter, and Ms. Vishala conducted the sessions.

To encourage and strengthen reading habits among children, books were donated to the students.

Philomena Menezes, in-charge headmistress of the school, also spoke.

Published - July 22, 2026 07:15 pm IST