Literacy the need of the hour The word literacy means an ability to read and write. In a civilized country, every citizen should learn how to read and write. If not, he is called an iliterate person. An iliterate person has to face many practical difficulties in life. As he is unable to read or write, he cannot read a letter addressed to him by his near and dear ones. He cannot calculate his own income and expenses, nor can keep his own accounts. Morally and psychologically, he feels insecure and weak, and hence suffers from an inferiority complex. Therefore, every person in the society should try to become literate. fit was not possible in an early age, a grown-up man can yet learn how to read and write in his advanced stage of life. Literacy will help him also in gaining common knowledge in various subjects, which will make him a complete man. An illiterate man is generally exploited by the clever men in the society. They take full advantage of his ignorance of the language or wisdom, The illiterate men become like dancing dolls at the hands of the clever persons They suffer in many ways in life. Rotary in India has taken a literacy drive all over the country. They are arranging to train teachers even in the remote places through its network of over 3600 Rotary Clubs which can be even in the remote corners of the villages of India to educate the people, imespective of their age or profession. The programme of education has taken a bold step, and the results are encouraging, The students and the educated youth are also encouraged to come forward to join the literacy drive . Rotary Clubs put their efforts to see that Classes can are held in a primary school or in any other suitable place that is available in the area chosen for literacy movement. Teaching can be: arranged in the morning or in the evening. The students may be peasants, mill workers, or traders, the poor or the rich. The efforts are made to see that Education is free and voluntary. The students are supplied with the books, and taught first how to read them, and then, how to write the scripts, imitating the printed letters in the books. The program has received tremendous response and shown great interest in adult education, apart from the education of the young ones. The percentage of literate persons in India has considerably increased in comparison with the figures of the earlier years. Its found that in the villages, the young and the old men and women assemble and sit together to take lessons from the teachers who have been specially trained and appointed for the purpose of teaching the illiterate mass. The Rotaract Clubs are encouraged and motivated to come forward voluntarily to actively participate in this noble literacy drive and make this country free from the curse of literacy. Total literacy in India is the dream of Rotary and of course with the support of many other organisations in this field Rotary is hopeful of achieving this goal . Needless to say the Government of India and various state Governments are very actively involved in making India fully literate. Let our slogan be EACH ONE - TEACH ONE ASHOK Director, Rotary International (2007-09) Trustee, The Rotary Foundation (2009-13)