Kanchan Gupta named Raja Ram Mohun Roy Library Foundation Chairman

Eminent journalist and political analyst Kanchan Gupta has been nominated Chairman of the Raja Ram Mohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF) by the Central government.

Soon after his appointment, Gupta, who had served in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) during the earlier NDA government of late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said it would be his special goal to make a meaningful contribution to ensure equality of access to knowledge via a "virtual library".

"Humbled to be nominated by GoI as Chairman of Raja Ram Mohun Roy Library Foundation. Special goal: Hopefully will succeed in making a meaningful contribution to ensuring equality of access to knowledge via virtual library in #NewIndia," Gupta tweeted.

Gupta, who has worked since 1982 in various leading news publications, has worked in close association with former National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra on foreign affairs and security issues during his tenure as the PMO representative on the National Security Advisory Board.

At the Kolkata-headquartered RRRLF, Gupta replaces outgoing Chairman Brij Kishore Sharma.

Established in 1961, the RRRLF is a Central autonomous organisation established and fully financed by the Union Culture Ministry. It is the Centre's nodal agency for supporting public library services and systems, as well as for promoting the public library movement in the country.

The supreme policy-making body of RRRLF is called the Foundation which comprises of 22 members nominated by the Central government from among eminent educationists, librar, administrators and senior officials.

The Union Culture Minister, or his nominee, is appointed Chairman of the RRRLF.

An RRRLF official told that as Chairman, Gupta would be the head of the Foundation. He would take the policy decisions and also play a pivotal role in forming the various sub-committees.

The Foundation works in close association and active cooperation with state governments and Union Territory administrations through the machinery of the State Library Planning Committees (SLPC) set up in each state at the instance of the Foundation.

( With inputs from IANS )