A two day seminar THE BOOK AND THE NATIONAL SOCIETY organised by the National Book Trust and Federation of Indian Publishers in collaboration with Goa Konkani Akademi and Gomantak Marathi Akademi was a grand success.

Noted writers, intellectuals, publishers and journalists participated in the deliberations. 
This seminar observed that good and healhy literature is a true means of achieving human development and the publishers need to play eminent role in disseminating relevant literature to the masses. 

Minister for Art and Culture Mr Rama Rao Desai inaugurated this seminar. He said - "Indian culture and philosophy have been praised all over the world and the scholars around the globe are keen to undertake their study on India." 

The vice-chancellor of Goa University Prof. P. S. Zacarias in his presidential address said that the reading habit can be developed in a child through books in individual's mother-tongue. No other language, however rich and prosperous can capture the child's imagination and encourage his or her reading habits. Just as sizable number of movies are produced in the country and few of them are successful in terms of quality and business, the publishing industry of the country brings out large number of books every year, very few of which are intellectually stimulating and hence receive accolades. 

NBT Chairman Mr Brij Kishore Sharma informed that a total of 70,000 books are published in India, in 24 different languages. He expressed further " A general fear is expressed that reading habits are on the wane after the advent of television and Internet. However, the increasing number of publishing houses as well as the readers proves this apprehension wrong. The craving need of the hour is not to save the reading habit but to improve the quality of material that is printed in the books." 

Noted Konkani writer Ravindra Kelekar spoke in chaste Hindi in one of the sessions. 
"Small honours will follow you but you should work towards winning Nobel prize. The strength of the language is its literature which of course ought have the power of transforming lives.