Thomasettan's love for reading continues even at age of 92

KOTTAYAM: 92-year-old D Thomas, fondly called Thomasettan by locals, often visits the Mukkoottuthara Public Library with a bag full of books. He will return the books that he has completed reading and take as many new ones home. His bag will be full of stories, poems and novels every week. This is the right given by librarians only to this 92-year-old.

D Thomas, who currently lives in Kollamula near Erumely, started loving books from a very young age. He started reading books from the library in Vizhikkathodu. Later, he took the initiative to set up a small library in Chenappady. He passed his 10th standard from Kanjirappally Government High School and later ventured into farming. However, he nave gave up reading. He relocated to Kollamula after getting married.

After farming, prayer and dinner, he will read for three or four hours at night. He loves reading for hours even during this old age. If he doesn't get the book that he wants, he will walk several kilometres to the Kollamula panchayat library or Idakadathi library to get that book. He is the oldest member of Mukkoottuthara Public Library. Wife: Marykutty, children: Sebastian, Soonamma, Lovelamma.

Read more than 10,000 books
Thomasettan has read more than 10,000 books. Thakazhi, Basheer, MT, Karoor, C Radhakrishnan, Malayattoor, Ponkunnam etc are some of his favourite writers. He also loves the writing of Benyamin and Sudheesh among the younger generation of Malayalam writers. Although Thomasettan once tried his hand at writing, he gave up as he felt that writing was not as easy as reading.