From Words to the World : An Inspiring Journey of a Movement led by HGVS
Himachal Achieves Total Literacy
Over the last 30 years, millions of volunteers, ‘Akshar Sainiks’ (Literacy Soldiers), and literacy workers have worked tirelessly, going village to village to educate people. From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, this campaign achieved an unprecedented 12% increase in the country’s literacy rate. This was not just about literacy; it was a revolution of social awareness.
“From Words to the World” – this was our slogan, and with this vision, we journeyed from health literacy to electoral and financial literacy. From 2012 to 2016, under the Saakshar Bharat Programme, a powerful literacy movement was witnessed in Chamba, which was then counted among the country’s most backward districts.
In Chamba, over 1 lakh people were contacted, out of which 82,000 appeared for the NIOS examination, and 67,000 men and women from just this one district achieved the milestone of literacy.
We recall a special moment when the then Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, Shri Sharabh Negi, IAS, held a meeting at his residence at 9:30 PM to ensure the training program could start effectively the next day. Furthermore, the initiative by another then Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, Shri Devesh Kumar, IAS, who directed departmental employees to educate the illiterate workers within their own departments, added a new dimension to this movement. These innovations made Chamba a model district, which was also appreciated internationally by UNESCO.
In the 1991 census, Himachal’s literacy rate was 63.86%, which rose to 76.5% in 2001, 82.80% in 2012, and has now reached 99.30% in 2025—an extremely proud achievement. This journey encompasses the selfless service and dedication of thousands of teachers, committed government officials, volunteers, and social workers. The role of the Himachal Gyan-Vigyan Samiti (HGVS) and the State Resource Centre, Shimla, in this historic achievement is also commendable.
On this occasion today, the Himachal Gyan-Vigyan Samiti (HGVS) and all literacy workers remember those unsung heroes who kept the flame of literacy burning even in the darkest of times.
We also remember the state’s first neo-literate, Chandu Devi (Shoghi), who would cut and provide grass herself to other women so they could attend literacy classes instead of going to the forest to fetch it. We also remember Chandra Ji from Banjar, Sumitra Devi from Sirmaur, and Neeta Devi (Shillai), who journeyed from being illiterate to literate; Neeta Devi has now even completed her MA from IGNOU—they have been our literacy brand ambassadors. We also pay homage to comrade Devinder from Pangi, who ate only once a day for six months to motivate the villagers.
To present a glimpse of this inspiring journey, we are sharing a short video that depicts the literacy journey of Chamba from 2012-2016, showcasing its coordination, dedication, and resolve.
We still stand by this resolve today: “To make every person literate, not just to read and write, but to become literate for understanding, rights, and participation in development.”
We are inspired by the same motivating definition: “People should understand the reasons for their deprivation, strive for liberation from it, form appropriate organizations for it, and participate in development.”
We are dedicated to this great purpose—our goal is not just literacy, but social consciousness.
“Our journey continues. Today, in a new form of literacy, we are running a statewide campaign to make people aware against drug addiction. In the coming times, we are also working towards raising awareness about disasters and enhancing grassroots literacy.”
