Reading a minority pastime: Bond

Having captivated kids as well as adults through his writings for over five decades, acclaimed author Ruskin Bond on Saturday announced his decision to further strengthen his bond with children in the twilight years of his life by serving as an "ambassador" of KIIT International School here. The role would see him frequently visiting the leading private school; interacting, advising and encouraging children and guiding the school authorities on various aspects of the curricula.

"I will do whatever I can to help the school and the children. In my twilight years it feels good to be associated with a school. This is my first such official or semi-official association with any school," Bond said during an interaction with the media in Bhubaneswar. On whether he would help produce more Ruskin Bonds (read writers) from among the kids, he quipped: "Why only Ruskin Bonds, some will become James Bonds also." The 75-year-old refused to buy the idea that the reading habit is on the slide and felt even in the 1950s when he was young reading was a "minority pastime". "A lot of people think the reading habit in on the decline. (But) in the 1950s also in my class of 35 hardly two-three students used to read. Now also I find young people who read. It was always a minority pastime," he remarked.

Full report here Times of India