In today’s The Hindu newspaper there was an article on a new initiative “Education on Wheels” which is taking a mini library of books in a van to far parts of the state, stopping at schools to promote reading. Seeing the photograph of the van with books, I was reminded of seeing something similar in our family archives. I inquired with my father who gave me a copy of a souvenir titled “LIFCO’s Golden Jubilee” published in 1979, in that book I found the following photographs:

LIFCO ON WHEELS

LIFCO ON WHEELS

1) In 5-February-1954, the inauguration of LIFCO ON WHEELS, a mobile book-service (sales of books published by LIFCO) by Sri.C.R.Srinivasan, Editor of “The Swadesamitran”

2) In 18-March-1956, the inauguration of a second mobile book-service, this time in a larger vehicle

3) In 11-October-1959, Sri Rajaji (Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, Last Governor General of India) inspecting the tinier version of LIFCO ON WHEELS, in a tri-cycle which was able to travel to the remotest parts and by-lanes of the state.

These are some of the initiatives taken by my grandfather LIFCO Sarmaji (Sri V.Krishnaswamy Sarma) in 1950s, he was a pioneer in publishing and distribution of books in South India.

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