Paturi Nagabhushanam

Paturi Nagabhushanam (20 August 1907 – 24 July 1987) was described as the doyen of the Andhra Library Movement from Andhra Pradesh, India. Paturi was associated with the national independence movement and an ardent follower of Gandhi. His contributions are noteworthy - in spreading library movement in the state of Andhra Pradesh among the public, strengthening Andhra Pradesh Library Association propagating adult literacy, the establishment of library school for imparting training to library workers and giving library education under State government certification and publishing books, periodicals, LIS textbooks. [Dr (Smt) Sarada] - The General Secretary of Andhra Pradesh Library Association and the Editor of Grandhalaya Sarvaswamu since the year 1988.

Demise He took his last breath in the presence of his family members and the members of the association executive body, on 24 July 1987 at his 80, while undergoing treatment for cancer in Bombay (now Mumbai). On the occasion of Gandhiji Centenary Celebrations, he translated 10 works from different languages on glimpses of significant aspects of Mahatma's life history and gifted them to young boys and girls.

He strived in the propagation of excellent literary works, the publication of manuscript journal, Library adult education movement. He along with his other associates rejuvenated a ruining library in his native village called "Arya Bala Samajam" and re-established the same as "Sevasrama Vani Mandiram" in January 1930 in a new building under the auspices of Seva Asramam. He assumed the charge as Secretary of Guntur Library Association in 1935 and set up libraries in about 160 villages in the district and also played a key role in the construction of new buildings for 28 libraries. He started an innovative programme of setting up of "Boat Libraries", under the auspices of Seva Asramam during 1935–42 to create reading interest among the public. The first boat library launched in the Krishna Bank Canal between Pedavadlapudi and Kolluru on 25 October 1935, and another one 17 November 1935 from Pedavadlapudi and Pidaparru in Guntur district. This became a national sensation and paved the way to set up many more "Boat Libraries". He is one of the five-member sub-committee set up by the state government for preparing the draft of the Andhra Pradesh Public Library Act. He acquired an acre of land in the heart of Vijayawada city and constructed Sri Sarvottama Bhavanam in 1949 with the philanthropic donations and built another storey for Bapuji Mandir in 1958. Similarly, he constructed Jogi Raju Bhavan in 1960 for workers accommodation and Ramineni Sadan in 1983. Paturi lead Andhra Pradesh Library Association for five decades and set up district-level branches in all the districts to spread the association activities at the rural level, for which he visited all the districts and libraries. He acquired crores worth properties to fortify the association activities and to create amenities for it. In order to enhance good public relations for the libraries and to extend its activities, he had celebrated Grandhalaya Vasantotsavalu (Library Spring Festival) first in 1952 ('Nandana' year) in summer every year. This 5 days activity was continued for many years. These celebrations were praised by the world-renowned library science professor in India Dr. S.R.Ranganathan. He established Sarvottama Library (Grandhalayam) in the year 1987, which has now grown to a large extent and being used by hundreds of students, self-employment trainees, etc. He was the editor of the monthly magazine "Grandhalaya Sarvaswam", the voice of library movement, for more than 36 years from 12 to 48 volumes. This is acclaimed as the only library science magazine in the country. Paturi organised several training camps for library workers and prepared hundreds of library volunteers. In 1966 he started a Certificate course in Library Science which was duly recognised by the Andhra Pradesh state government.

As a publisher, editor and writer

Paturi's published works in regional language Telugu include - 15 Indigenous Works, 15 Translated works into Telugu, 6 Compilations, 19 Editorial Works, and other publications. He prepared textbooks according to the syllabus of the Certificate Course in Library Science in Telugu language and published them. They also became reference books for library science. Paturi published 20 volumes of books written by a popular farming expert Sri Goteti Jogi Raju on agriculture and farming before 5 decades. They were considered as authentic sources on the subject and revised by the agricultural scientists from time to time. He published and propagated books on adult education written by Sri Gadicherla Hari Sarvottama Rao, the pioneer in the adult literacy movement of the time. They were - Vayojana Vidya 1,2,3 Volumes (Books on Adult Education) and Vayojana Vachakalu (Adult Education Readers). He organised the Centenary celebration of Sri Gadicherla in important towns of many districts of the state and also published the Centenary Commemorative issue entitled "Vandemataram" for about 400 pages. Paturi was the editor of 24 to 28 Andhra Pradesh Library Association Conference Volumes and the associate editor for "Andhra Grandhalayam", the quarterly periodical for Volume 2. For more than 36 years, he held the responsibility as the editor for the monthly periodical Grandhalaya Sarvaswam, volumes 13 to 48 and also a popular index to Telugu literature "Andhra Vajmaya Sangraha Suchika" which was compiled by Sri Velaga Venkatappayya and Mahidhara Jaganmohana Rao and published by the Association in 1962. On the occasion, he was felicitated by the Department of Library Science, University Library, Sarvottama Bhavan School of Library Science and many more educational, literary, social organisations. He was honoured in First World Telugu Conference, Hyderabad. He also received Yarlagadda Rajyalakshmi Venkanna Choudhary Kala Peetham Award.

Birth centenary

Paturi's Centenary celebrations were organised statewide by Andhra Pradesh Library Association (APLA) and Paturi Nagabhushanam Centenary Celebration Committee from 20 August 2006 to 20 August 2007. The Centenary celebrations were inaugurated by the then chief minister of the state Dr.Y.S.Rajasekhar Reddy in Hyderabad on 20 August 2006. State ministers Sri K. Rosaiah, Smt.N.Rajyalakshmi participated in the occasion. The District Central Libraries in Kurnool, Anantapur, Medak, Karimnagar, Nalgonda districts, and the libraries in several districts and also the college libraries such as ANR in Gudivada, DRN in Chilakaluripeta, CR Reddy PG College in Eluru and KVR in Nandigama joined in celebrating the occasion in their premises. Subsequently, the leaders of the library movement of the Rayalseema region celebrated Paturi's Centenary in Anantapur district on 10 September 2006 under the guidance of Sri Battula Venkatarami Reddy. In Rajamahendravaram, the event was celebrated in Rajamahendrapura Mandira Grandhalayam on 17 September 2006. Similarly, the celebrations were conducted by Machilipatnam Grandhalayam Vikas Samiti, Visakhapatnam Poura Grandhalayam (Public Library) and Vijayawada Book Festival. The concluding ceremony of 'the centenary celebrations of Sri Paturi Nagabhushanam', the doyen of Library Movement in AP was organised by the Andhra Pradesh Library Association at their National Conference on "Reorientation of Library services in India" held at Vijayawada from 18 to 20 August 2007.