Kannada University, Hampi, is launching the “Mane Manege Pustaka” (Books to Every House) program to foster reading habits among college students, particularly in the Kalyana Karnataka region. Prasararanga, the university’s publication wing, will offer Kannada books on various topics to students at a 50% discount, initially targeting government, aided, and private degree colleges in Vijayanagara and Ballari districts.
The pilot program conducted a few months ago received a positive response, prompting a full-scale launch to benefit students and reach prospective readers in villages. Prasararanga Director Madhava Peraje mentioned that small books with 30-50 pages priced under ₹50 will be showcased in colleges, accompanied by awareness programs highlighting the benefits of reading.
Prasararanga, established in 1992, has published over 1,500 books on topics including Kannada language, literature, culture, fine arts, history, archaeology, Dravidian studies, and more. To market these books, the university has proposed to the Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board (KKRDB) the purchase of 290 books for 350 colleges, costing around ₹1.20 crore. Although the Board Chairman Dr. Ajay Singh has approved the proposal, it awaits clearance from the Deputy Commissioners of the relevant districts.
Prasararanga also sells books at events like the Hampi Festival and All India Kannada Sahitya Sammelana and organizes “Pustaka Samskruthi Yaatre” (Book Tours) to reach remote areas, according to M.M. Shivaprakash of Prasararanga.
