By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: He must get a pat on his back for his enormous effort that too done single-handedly to bring a change among the students. He is Imran Hussain of Guwahati who has initiated to install the reading culture among the youths of the region with his dream project called Bibliophilia Café.
Keeping in minds the students’ plight, Hussain started the project in 2012 with valuable and rare books from across the globe which are generally not available.
“There are certain books which are very important for the students but generally they are not easily available and also costs heavy price. What I have found that the students in general cannot afford to buy those books which prices say around Rs 2000 or so. Here, these books are available to read for the students free of cost,” Hussain said.
Hussain has arranged reading facilities for the students in his book shop where students and other readers can come and read the books of their choice. Besides, he has also contacted the collages across the state to avail the facility for their students at the college premises.
“The students find it difficult to get their books even from the library. The libraries also have formalities and one needs to be a paying member to avail the facility. But here I have offer the students free of cost to read books of their choice,” he added.
In the state, some colleges have welcomed his move including KC Das Commerce College and Assam Don Bosco University in Guwahati, Debraj Roy College in Golaghat, DKD College in Dergaon and Sivasagar Girls College.
Bibliophilia Café has also the facilities for the students to access to globally acclaimed journals from pay websites besides century old rare books.
“We have subscribed to number of pay websites from across the globe which the students can avail here free. Then there are some books which are century old written by some of the prominent scholars. I wish my little effort helps the greater student fraternity and general readers. I will be happy if I can install the reading habit among the people which is very much necessary for a healthy society,” Hussain said.
But over the last couple of years, he has faced ups and downs with little support from the readers and college authorities. “I would have glad if the college authorities or the students were a bit more aggressive to read books and adapt to new idea,” he said.
But, there are many well wishers who often visit the book café and encourage him to continue his noble deed. “This has been a great help for people like us. We enjoy coming here and reading books. There are certain books which I have not found anywhere but here at Bibliophilia Café. I wish Imran good luck for his mission,” said Masiha Nafis, a regular visitor at the café.
Bibliophilia Café is the first of its kind in the northeast and in a recent survey by The Times of India, it was placed among the seven such destinations to read books in the country.