Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday flagged off a ‘Reading Marathon’ on the banks of Dal Lake, marking a unique convergence of knowledge, fitness, and environmental responsibility.
The event, organised by the National Book Trust as part of Education Week, celebrates six successful years of the National Education Policy, an official spokesperson said.
Addressing thousands of students from colleges and universities from across Jammu and Kashmir, Sinha highlighted the significance of the marathon as a symbol of collective learning and social responsibility.
“Education should not remain confined to books and examination halls. It must reach playgrounds, social spaces, and become a way of life. Today’s Reading Marathon is a powerful example of that vision,” he said.
Held under the theme “Run for a Green Future”, the marathon promoted both reading and environmental awareness.
Sinha described the theme as a life philosophy, and emphasised that both knowledge and environmental conservation require patience, discipline, and sustained collective effort.
“Reading enriches our thoughts, running strengthens our bodies, and caring for nature awakens our conscience. Together, they prepare society to face future challenges,” he said.
The LG urged the participants to take three pledges — make reading a daily habit, adopt environmental conservation in everyday life, and transform the spirit of the marathon into a lifelong commitment to bring positive change in society.
“Let the spirit of doing something good for society become a lifelong commitment. I believe that merely reading books is not enough. True education is to put what you have read into practice. It is easy to read a book about climate change,” he said.
“But after reading those words, deciding that I myself will run five kilometres, spread the message of nature conservation, and bring changes into my life, is a real transformation. Today you all have chosen the path of change, and that is the greatest success of Chinar Book Festival,” he said.
On the eve of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Sinha invoked the courage of young soldiers who fought in the Kargil War, reminding the youth of Jammu and Kashmir that discipline, leadership, and a nation-first attitude can create new history.
“Most of the soldiers and officers who defended the country in the Kargil War were young people aged 20 to 25. The stories of heroes like Captain Vikram Batra, Manoj Kumar Pandey and Captain Anuj Nayyar make young people realise that with the right direction and spirit, the youth can create new history,” he said.
“I want the Reading Marathon to spread the thinking of ‘Nation First’, a ‘Never Give Up’ attitude, and the spirit of discipline and leadership, and to kindle the flame of national service in the heart of every youth in Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
