Khan launches book to highlight Trinidad and Tobago heroes

IN recognition and celebration of TT’s recent 60th Anniversary of Independence, corporate sponsor First Citizens, in collaboration with author, researcher, producer Nasser Khan and the Ministry of Education, launched an e-book. Hard copies of the e-book will be available in due course and can be ordered by calling or sending a WhatsApp message to 387-2731.

The book is named 400+ Heroes, Pioneers and Role Models of TT.

The link to read the book can be accessed at https://epub.safaripublications.com/firstcitizenstt/profiles/.

In his remarks at the handover recently at the Ministry of Education, to the ministry’s CEO Dr Peter Smith, Khan outlined the genesis of the e-book that is the updated edition from the original version first published in 2012, for TT’s 50th Independence anniversary.

At that time First Citizens sponsored 5,000 hard copies that were distributed to all schools and libraries and other deserving institutions and individuals in TT. Due to an increased demand, First Citizens agreed to an online edition that, since then, has garnered approximately 1.6 million hits, mainly by students doing their research for social and other studies assignments. The book has also become popular for those outside of educational institutions seeking knowledge of our heroes, pioneers and role models.

Khan further emphasized that the purpose of the book is to provide an online reference tool about TT’s heroes, role models and pioneers and falls under the umbrella of a youth education literacy initiative that seeks to educate, inspire and motivate its readers about our path to Independence in 1962, 60 years ago and those heroes, pioneers and role models who were and have been instrumental in its achievement…those in the various spheres of activity.

In alphabetical order, categories of 20 areas of human endeavour from agriculture to writing are highlighted. The 200-page book is foreworded by Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby Dolly, the Group CEO of First Citizens Karen Darbasie and noted TT author Michael Anthony.

The Heroes, Pioneers and Role Models of TT are about those who have made valuable contributions to our country’s development, who have paved and continue to pave the way for others to follow. Such people include national leaders, those in public service, politics, medicine, science, law, education, business, social work, sports, labour, economics, culture, arts, radio, television, literature, agriculture, religion, oil and gas, the environment, engineering, architecture, fashion and beauty pageants.

The book, Khan explained, was inspired by a chance conversation he had with calypsonian David Rudder prior to the 50th Independence Anniversary in 2012. During that conversation they both lamented about the lack of a comprehensive book available at educational institutions especially one that features local heroes. The book was the result of that conversation.

The difference in the two editions, from 2012 and 2022, reflects the dates of the deaths of some individuals, the addition of a few that were inadvertently omitted, any corrections from the first edition and the updating of recipients of the Order of the Republic of TT since 2012.