Varanasi (UP), May 11: The Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first airport in India to introduce a reading lounge.
Located near the airport’s main lobby, the lounge offers a diverse collection of books in various international languages, along with literature on Kashi, books by youth authors published under the Prime Minister Yuva Yojana, and other works from different genres.
With the support of the National Book Trust (NBT), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education, the lounge aims to promote reading culture among passengers and visitors. The NBT will manage the operations of the reading lounge.
During the inauguration, Avanish Awasthi, Chief Minister’s advisor, highlighted the importance of this initiative in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of emphasizing both sports and education. He also suggested the possibility of opening similar reading lounges in the state with the assistance of NBT.
The reading lounge at Varanasi airport is designed to cater to the interests of traditionalists and contemporary readers, offering insights into the mystical heritage of the ancient city. It showcases books on Indian culture, history, traditional knowledge systems, health and wellness, and literature in languages such as Hindi, French, Spanish, English, and other Indian languages.
The lounge also pays tribute to literary icons associated with Varanasi, featuring their works, iconic places, and lesser-known facts about their connections with the city. Additionally, it provides a platform for budding authors to display their recently published books under the Prime Minister’s Mentorship Scheme for Young Writers (PM-YUVA Scheme).
To cater to the tech-savvy generation, the lounge offers free access to excerpts from any book through a QR code. Moreover, another QR code enables users to access select free audio books, providing convenience through mobile, laptop, or tablet devices.
