The National Reading Mission campaign extended from 19 June 2026 to 19 July 2026. KadalOsai FM 90.4 CR participated in the National Reading Mission through Community Radio 2026, a joint initiative by the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA), the P.N. Panicker Foundation, and the Community Radio Association (CRA).

To mark the occasion, KadalOsai FM organized a series of activities to inspire a lifelong love for reading among children and the local community.

Our journey began with an Open Tamil Reading Competition for school students from Classes 4 to 8. Thirty enthusiastic participants from different schools showcased their reading skills by reading one-minute stories before an audience. The best readers were recognized with prizes, while every participant left motivated to read more and eagerly requested similar programmes in the future.

KadalOsai FM 90.4 Community Radio recently launched a voluntary creative tuition programme for underprivileged children in the region. As part of this initiative, the children were given the opportunity to read stories to thousands of listeners through KadaloduVilaiyadu, KadalOsai FM’s dedicated children’s programme that promotes education, creativity, and holistic child development. Their inspiring performances sparked widespread interest among children across the community, with many expressing a desire to read stories on the radio themselves.

To further strengthen reading habits among children, KadalOsai FM partnered with Pallanguzhi organization to organize a grand Arts and Literary Festival.

In the weeks leading up to the festival, our team visited government schools, distributed storybooks, and encouraged children to choose books that interested them. Fifteen students were then selected and guided through reading, comprehension, and storytelling sessions.

During the festival, which was attended by over 300 students from Mandapam to Rameswaram, these fifteen young readers took centre stage as the chief guests, sharing stories they had read with the audience. By placing children at the heart of the celebration, we reinforced the message that every child can become a reader, storyteller, and lifelong learner.

Every child attending the programme received a gift bag containing 5 books and play kits to encourage continued reading beyond the event. All those present were also provided refreshments and lunch.

As part of our long-term commitment, these fifteen students the took centre stage will now be a part of a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme, helping in the sustenance of the initiative and inspiring many more children to discover the joy of reading and storytelling.

The festival also featured the children’s play “MeenVaangalayoMeen” (Fish for Sale), raising awareness on sea conservation, performed by students of Vanavil School, along with a thought-provoking mime performance.

During this campaign alone, KadalOsai FM expanded its community library by adding more than 100 children’s storybooks, creating a valuable reading resource for local children.

Looking ahead, KadalOsai FM plans to establish KadalOsai Radio Clubs in schools across the district. Through these clubs, children will gain access to books, develop their reading skills, and regularly share stories on KadaloduVilaiyadu, ensuring that the National Reading Mission continues to grow through the power of community radio.

KadalOsai FM 90.4 CR was awarded the Special Recognition – First Award by the campaign organizers COL-CEMCA, the P.N. Panicker Foundation and the Community Radio Association for our efforts to create awareness on the campaign and taking initiatives to induce a lifelong reading habit among children.