The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Recognition for a lifetime of service to people and books

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Thursday, Jun 23, 2011
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Kerala - Kochi

Recognition for a lifetime of service to people and books

Staff Reporter

Raphael was honoured for completing a silver jubilee as librarian.

KOCHI: He possesses no great degrees in knowledge. Introduced to the world of letters only at the age of 15, he holds just one certificate; that of a Class IV equivalent examination conducted by the Literacy Mission. But then, Raphael, despite being speech-impaired and differently-abled, has mastered life unlike many others.

While his tryst with letters has a delayed start, it might have made that bond only stronger. What else could explain his unbroken 25 years' stint as librarian at the library at the Panampukad village? For someone who managed to stand on his feet only at the age of 11 as he was physically-challenged, it's no small feat.

Raphael was honoured by the district administration for completing a silver jubilee as librarian at the inauguration of the district-level reading week celebrations held here on Monday.

For many graduate and post-graduate people in Panampukad-Vallarpadam village, Raphael is a friend realizing that real knowledge need not always be acquired through formal education.

Raphael had been a constant visitor of the Panampukad village library ever since he learnt to read. And it was his love for printed words that inspired him to sit for the class four equivalent exam. The library authorities honoured him by giving him the chair of the librarian. Raphael claims that he has already read the more than 10,000 books in the library.

He has 18 stories and 22 poems to his credit till now and many of them had been published in various periodicals. Recognition is nothing new to Raphael as he had been honoured with a slew of recognitions in the past by various organisations including the Library Council. The award instituted by the State Social Welfare Department for meritorious service by differently-abled also came to him in 2004.

Amidst these recognitions, one thing in his life has remained a constant, his role as the caretaker of books. And that's why the people of Panampukad-Vallarpadam village know where to look for him between 4 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. any day.

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