B. S. Kesavan
Encyclopedia
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
of independent India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He is also known as Father of Indian National Bibliography
Bibliography
Bibliography , as a practice, is the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology...
as it was first brought out in its leadership on August 15, 1958. Later, he became the first Director
Director-general
The term director-general is a title given the highest executive officer within a governmental, statutory, NGO, third sector or not-for-profit institution.-European Union:...
of the Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC) at New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. In recognition of his great service to the nation, the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
honoured him with Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
. He died on February 16, 2000, at the age of 91.
Education
After graduating from the University of MysoreUniversity of Mysore
The University of Mysore , is a public university in India. The University founded during the reign of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore, and was conceptualized on the basis of a report on educational progress in the United States and Australia, submitted by Messrs Thomas Denham and...
, he proceeded to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and obtained his Masters degree in English Literature and Diploma in Library Science
Library science
Library science is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, and other areas to libraries; the collection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information resources; and the...
, both from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
Career
He began his career as a teacher of English in the University of Mysore and served there for several years. He also worked as Assistant Secretary (Editorial) of Council for Scientific and Industrial ResearchCSIR India
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research established in 1942, is an autonomous body and India's largest Research and Development organization, with 39 laboratories and 50 field stations or extension centers spread across the nation, with a collective staff of over 17,000...
( CSIR
CSIR India
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research established in 1942, is an autonomous body and India's largest Research and Development organization, with 39 laboratories and 50 field stations or extension centers spread across the nation, with a collective staff of over 17,000...
) and Curator at Central Bureau of Education. As a National Librarian, he contributed enormously to the building up of the Library, launching of Indian National Bibliography, and nurturing of the Central Reference Library as Librarian-in-Charge.
His achievements in INSDOC is also no less outstanding which include among others the starting of Indian Science Abstracts, and Associateship in Documentation and Reprography course, publication of several union catalogues
Union catalog
A union catalog is a combined library catalog describing the collections of a number of libraries. Union catalogs have been created in a range of media, including book format, microform, cards and more recently, networked electronic databases...
of scientific serials, and Directory of Scientific Research Institutions in India.
Positions held
He was the head of the National Library of IndiaNational Library of India
The National Library of India at Belvedere, Calcutta is the second largest library in India after the Anna Centenary Library in Chennai and India's library of public record....
for two terms, from 1948 to 1963 and from 1970 to 1971. In addition, he held many posts of international and national bodies such as Vice President of International Federation for Information and Documentation
International Federation for Information and Documentation
The International Federation for Information and Documentation was an international organization that was created to promote universal access to all recorded knowledge.- History :...
(FID
International Federation for Information and Documentation
The International Federation for Information and Documentation was an international organization that was created to promote universal access to all recorded knowledge.- History :...
), President of Indian Library Association (ILA) and member of numerous committees.
Publications
He has to his credit a number of publications, of which the prominent are History of Printing and Publishing in India in 3 volumes and The Book In India: A Compilation.Kesavan Institute of Information and Knowledge Management (KIIKM)
A charitable trust namely, Kesavan Institute ofInformation and Knowledge Management (KIIKM) has been formed in memory of him at Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
.