Amitabh Bachchan Named Brand Ambassador for Maharashtra’s ‘Mahawachan Utsav-2024’
Amitabh Bachchan Named Brand Ambassador for Maharashtra's 'Mahawachan Utsav-2024'
The Maharashtra School Education Department has launched the ‘Mahawachan Utsav-2024’, an ambitious program aimed at fostering a culture of reading among students. Set to run from July 22 to August 30, the initiative will be spearheaded by veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan, who has been appointed as the brand ambassador.
The ‘Mahawachan Utsav-2024’ will be implemented across all medium and management schools in the state. This move follows the state government’s earlier decision on November 22, 2023, to introduce the ‘Reading Movement’ program. Launched on December 5 last year, the program saw participation from 66,000 schools and 5.2 million students, in collaboration with Read India Celebration. Building on this success, the ‘Mahawachan Utsav-2024’ aims to further embed reading habits among students.
The initiative targets students across three age groups: classes III to V, VI to VIII, and IX to XII. The School Education Department issued an ordinance on Tuesday confirming Bachchan’s involvement. His participation is expected to significantly boost the program’s visibility and appeal.
“The ‘Mahawachan Utsav’ is being implemented to inculcate an interest in reading and to nurture a reading culture among students,” said Deepak Kesarkar, the Minister of School Education. “Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan has shown a positive attitude towards this initiative, and further actions are being taken to proceed with his involvement.”
Key features of the ‘Mahawachan Utsav-2024’ include the promotion of reading culture and the development of alternative reading habits among students. The initiative also aims to connect students with Marathi language, literature, and culture, promoting overall personality development and enhancing language communication skills.
A dedicated web portal will be developed by the Maharashtra Primary Education Council to facilitate the initiative. Participating students will reflect on the books they read and upload their reflections in written form on the portal. Additionally, students will create one-minute audio and video summaries of the books they read, which will be uploaded to an audio portal.
The program will also feature library exhibitions and book fairs. Students will compete for first, second, and third prizes at the Taluka, District, Educational Division, and State levels, encouraging widespread participation and engagement.
‘Mahawachan Utsav-2024’ represents a significant step towards enriching the educational landscape of Maharashtra by instilling a lifelong love for reading in young minds. With Amitabh Bachchan’s endorsement, the program is poised to make a lasting impact on the students of the state, promoting literacy and cultural appreciation.
