Assam: RGU Conducts 2 Day National Seminar in Guwahati, Gets Underway

The Department of Mass Communication, Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh and Department of Mass Communication, Saint Claret College, Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh is organizing a two day long National Seminar on the theme “Media Representation of Northeast India: Looking Back and Looking Forward” on 7th and 8th June in Don Bosco Institute, Guwahati.

Attending the National Seminar as the Chief Guest, Prof. Saket Kushwaha, Vice Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University while acknowledging the presence of the resource persons and scholars said it is a hypothesis whether in Northeastern part media is being marginalized and that it is a personal perception. Recalling the trouble of a media in Africa in his 14 years stay in the country he said it is easy for people to judge but a media has to strike the balance and that there are lots of forces pulling the system down. Saying that a job or a task is not easy he commended the journey media had made so far. The power of post truth by the media influencing the future aspect might have the crowd questioning but for me the role media is playing is a balance role said in his address. Stating that media is the 4th pillar of the democracy he also questioned if the other three pillar grabs something serious from the media and convert important news in form of policies. Appreciating the skills of students in writing articles he encouraged on spreading the horizon of Mass Communication Department. Looking forward to a route map provided by the panels of resource persons he added that if it is concerning Rajiv Gandhi University within the framed rules and guidelines Vice Chancellor promised to implement it.

Prof. Dr. Inderjeet Singh Sodhi from RGNIYD, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports which was set up in 1993 at the place where Rajiv Gandhi died in Tamil Nadu. Besides having 6 departments providing Masters and Ph.D it also conducts seminar, workshops, trainings fully sponsored by RGNIYD also attending and taking part in it. Appreciating the theme of the seminar he said he has a deep affection for the Northeast and its people. Mentioning that media being the 4th pillar it is also good to see media involved in social developments and that through media people can march towards nation building and that possibility of an MoU between RGNIYD and RGU, Itanagar.

Keynote speaker Ruben Banerjee the Editor in Chief of Outlook, he was earlier the National Affairs Editor of Hindustan Times and a journalist of more than three decades of experience, he worked previously as an editor with Al Jazeera, he has also worked in India Today and Indian Express. He is also an author with his latest book ‘Naveen Patnaik’ an authorized autobiography of the Odisha Chief Minister having great review, his first book is the ‘Odhisa tragedy’.

Ruben Banerjee in his address said When he was a young journalist he spent a considerable period of time in Odisha of all places he used to cover Northeast, Bangladesh during the peak of ULFA moment and travel to Guwahati every seven days when flights were not much available, it is very easy for people to say that media is not doing their responsibility but if one is on the other side one realize the different perspectives. He also shared that during his stay in Odisha people there complained of National media being quite about the region, but whenever it comes to Odhisa the only prevalent idea is about poverty, hunger, deprivation and malnutrition which may or may not be true. So far the Northeast is concerned the reality is somewhat very complex and not as simple as one would like to make it to be. Stressing on the theme he said it may or may not be true because the Northeast youths are doing marvelous on the media industry and that the mainland media is not inimical to the region. He also added that the lynching news of Karbi Anglong made international headlines and the recent assassination of a politician in Arunachal was on the cover page, the famous NRC of Assam made it to the cover and that the mainstream media is not sidelining the Northeast media. The intention and motives of the media cannot be questioned because the best of the ability is being put, he added. The magazine should run and make some profit and in that light the media also has to cater to the needs and requirements of the desk of the readers and viewers added Ruben Banerjee.

The seminar is sponsored by Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur and Director of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh.

A total of 54 research scholars are presenting in the two days seminar on various sub themes.