With a beautifully decorated hall and the smell of new books to explore, the 46th Annual Book Exhibition commenced at Smt. Sulochanadevi Singhania High School on 4th October 2024. As Dr. Revathi Srinivasan, our esteemed Director of Education and Principal, welcomed everyone, including our chief guest, Chief Guest Dr. Vidhya Satish, Director - SIES Institute of Comprehensive Education and a celebrated educator with a Ph. D in Human studies as well as a specialist trainer for children’s development - the atmosphere at the assembly hall simply transformed into a sanctuary for imagination. The event began with the children singing a mesmerizing narrative, a famous Bengali song depicting the three forms of goddess Durga, Laxmi and Saraswathi which gets imbibed in every book that we read. Then both our renowned educators shared their experiences and love for reading. Revathi Mam inspired the children to understand the value of reading and gave them a ‘cool’ idea of grabbing a good book along with some fritters to enjoy the read. While, our chief guest, a notable curator, an approachable leader, and a great appreciator of creativity emphasized how each book had a hidden message, a learning that one could gather on every read. ‘’Children are like wet cement, anything that falls on it makes an impression’’ As rightly quoted by Dr. Vidhya herself, books are the foundation for every child’s growth. They are a feast for the senses and the joy of reading is nothing less than a celebration. She shared a story of how a married couple rendered towards their garden, feeling proud of how their hard work paid off as they had the most beautiful garden blooming in front of their house. Except for a bamboo tree that failed to grow. However, after the passage of time, the bamboo grew enormously showing that its roots took time to nourish and eventually flourish. Similarly, reading may not depict any immediate benefits however, over the years one sees how books and reading can truly shape a human. She highlighted that a good reader is a good communicator and that well-read people prove to be great leaders. Students were captivated as they listened to her amazing experiences and childhood memories. The Q&A session that followed was filled with enthusiastic questions, showcasing the students’ candid interest in storytelling. She answered the children’s doubts about time management, balancing technology and books with incredible perseverance while sparking a motivation for children to read. The event strengthened our belief that reading fosters a sense of community encouraging parents to explore books together with their children and nurturing their love for reading. Thus, the Annual Book Exhibition this year kicked off with a booming success - a celebration of stories encouraging the students to make reading a loving habit. The exhibition will go on for the next two days. Here’s to the power of reading!