National librarian Day
National Librarian Day
Dr. S.R Rangnathan’s Birthday celebrations
August
12th is celebrated as Librarian’s Day in India, in remembrance of Dr S R
Ranganathan , who had spearheaded library development in India.
Dr.
Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan, born on 9 August 1892, came from a
moderate background in British-ruled India. He was born in the small
town of Shiyali (now known as Sirkazhi), in the state of Tamil Nadu in
south India. Ranganathan began his professional life as a mathematician;
he earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in mathematics from Madras Christian
College in his home province, and then went on to earn a teaching
license. His lifelong goal was to teach mathematics, and he was
successively a member of the mathematics faculties at universities in
Mangalore, Coimbatore and Madras (all within the span of five years). As
a mathematics professor, he published a handful of papers, mostly on
the history of mathematics. His career as an educator was somewhat
hindered by a handicap of stammering (a difficulty Ranganathan gradually
overcame in his professional life). The Government of India awarded
Padmashri to Dr. S.R. Ranganathan for his valuable contribution to
Library Science.
