Kuthuparamba: The Kirachi Nava Kerala Library, founded on Kerala’s formation day in 1956, is preparing to celebrate its 70th anniversary.

The library, located in Mangattidam Panchayat, is all set to celebrate its 70th year with a year-long programmes. Noted freedom fighter K M Kunjikkannan Nambiar, Eliyan Raman, T Chanthukutty, Pannyan Ambu, and P Kumaran Master were among its founding members.

Kunjikkannan Nambiar, who participated in the freedom struggle and the Goa Liberation Movement, was a former soldier who passed away last year. The committee, led by Eliyan Raman as president and P Kumaran Master as secretary, guided the library’s activities during its early years.

Kalamandalam Mahendran will inaugurate the year-long 70th anniversary celebrations today. The library, which operated for years from a rented building, was eventually shifted to its own premises on January 20, 2003. The building was inaugurated by former Chief Minister E K Nayanar. A committee comprising A Sreedharan as patron, Rithun Kallikkandy as president, and A Pramod as secretary currently leads the library’s activities.