National Reading Day recommendations from Dr Rajendrakumar Anayath

National Reading Day is celebrated on 19 June to honour the works of Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker. It is in this connection that one must understand the legacy of PN Panicker, a great teacher and educationist, who unconditionally strived for the cause of educating the masses and writing for all till his last days. 

Panicker firmly believed that reading and becoming enlightened through books formed the bedrock of individual and social transformation. To pay homage to Panicker's tireless efforts to enhance the importance of education and practice of reading,  the Indian government passed a law and marked 19 June as National Reading Day in 1996. It is celebrated across the country by encouraging people to read books and engage themselves in any form of reading.

On this occasion, I wish to share three books that changed my professional life in printing engineering 37 years ago.

The first is a book on lithography/ offset technology, the second a book on graphic reproduction and the third is on pre-press and offset platemaking. 

The first book made me an offset addict, the second took me to the world of colour science and the third to the world of pre-press and offset platemaking. 

The three books are:

A Manual for Lithographic Press Operation by Albert S Porter, MIOP, published by Litho Training Services, 1977.

A Manual of Graphic Reproduction for Lithography, by Eric Chambers, Published by Litho Training Services, 1976.

A Manual for Film Planning and Platemaking by AL Gatehouse; M Inst MP, AMIRT, KN Roper Dip FE, M Inst MP, MIRT,  Published by Litho Training Services, 1976.

Happy National Reading Day