Somewhere between the notifications and the endless scroll, a lot of us stopped finishing books. Not deliberately — attention simply moved elsewhere. A new initiative launched this week is betting that the habit can be rebuilt, and that it’s worth rebuilding. ‘Let’s Bring Back The Joy of Reading’, a global CSR initiative by Noida-based CRC Group, was launched in the presence of actor, author and entrepreneur Gul Panag, alongside educators, authors and publishing professionals.“Books have the remarkable ability to expand our thinking, deepen our understanding, and connect us across generations,” Panag said at the launch, adding, “In today’s fast-paced world, rediscovering the joy of reading is more important than ever.”While children are an obvious focus for any reading campaign, this one is aimed at students, parents, teachers, working professionals and entire communities — the argument being that reading isn’t a childhood phase to be outgrown, but a habit adults quietly abandon and could just as quietly pick back up.There’s a case to be made for the format itself. “Deep, sustained reading — the kind that requires sitting with a chapter rather than skimming a thread — has long been linked to sharper reflection, better perspective-taking and more patient thinking. It’s the bridge between knowing things and doing something useful with them,” says Gul.
Gul Panag at the launch of the reading initiative
“We believe meaningful development goes beyond infrastructure,” said Kunal Bhalla, Founder & CEO of CRC Group, adding, “We hope this initiative grows into a movement that inspires generations to discover new ideas, perspectives and possibilities through reading.” Salil Kumar, Director, Business Management & Marketing, added that the intent is to build “an ecosystem where books continue to inspire conversations, creativity and lifelong learning.“While the first phase of this campaign heads to workshops across New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Indore and Hyderabad, it will be followed by Dubai, Singapore, London, New York, Milan and Moscow along with partnerships with authors, publishers, celebrities and educational institutions. It’s positioned as a long-term programme rather than a single event, which is the right ambition. Reading habits don’t change at launches. They change when someone hands you a book you can’t put down.
