by Dr Deepti Swamy

It is with great pleasure that we release the second issue of our Newsletter ‘Motivate’. Thank you for giving us such wonderful feedback on our inaugural issue. With that kind of support behind us, it is indeed motivating to put together this issue for all of you. From the first issue, you may be aware that each month, we choose a theme on which the entire issue is based on. This issue’s theme is ‘Be Calm and Read Books’, in celebration of World Book Day on 23rd April. As a self-confessed bibliophile, it gives me immense pleasure to put together an issue which centres around the importance of books in one’s life.

It is important to note that when I say reading books, I am not limiting it to classical literature on the one hand or coffee table books on the other hand. It means, any kind of learning that happens through written material. As someone who has personally benefitted immeasurably through my reading, I wanted to draw the attention on how so many of our attitudes and behaviour can be impacted by what we see and hear and do. We gain our understanding of the world and make judgements based on those attitudes so it is important to ensure that we have the best ones. This is especially important during childhood when one’s cognitive foundations are being built. If it is ensured that the right attitudes are developed at this time, it will tide over till adulthood as well. One way to ensure this development of the right attitudes is through the reading of the right materials.

So this issue will take us forward in understanding the importance and benefits of reading as such. It highlights on the reasons as to how reading can shape a person psychologically which in turn affects our behaviours and emotions.