The 251st birth anniversary of social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who had played a role in stopping the tradition of Sati during the British era in India, was celebrated at the Premchand Gramin Library in Mirik yesterday.

The programme was organised by the Mirik Subdivision Library Employee Association and chaired by eminent litterateur Rajbahadur Rai. In her address, Mirik town Librarian Shila Gurung said that Raja Ram Mohan Roy, just like he ended the practice of Sati, liberated women from the contemporary conservative tradition. “Roy’s contribution to the construction of a civilized and modern society is unforgettable,” she said.

Advertisement

According to her, she has been making continuous effort to increase the number of readers in the library and emphasized on the need to generate an interest for libraries among the people.

Litterateur Rajbahadur Rai talked about Roy’s life and his contribution in ending Sati. “We have knowledge of living independently in modern society because of his contributions,” he said.

In the programme, Sobhan Ghising, the chief of the Premchandra Smarak Gramin Library, highlighted the dignity of the library, its importance and the need for its preservation, while seeking cooperation from all sides. He urged students to take advantage of the programme to gain knowledge.

The programme was attended by various representatives from different libraries in the Mirik area, including B Gurung, DP Gurung, Madhukar Moktan, Dalim Dutraj, PB Gurung, Durga Samba, PK Pradhan, and teacher Kesang Lama.