Naidu, Irani hail JK media students at PCI’s golden jubilee event

NEW DELHI: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani today lauded media students from Jammu and Kashmir who were present at the Golden Jubilee function of the Press Council of India (PCI) coinciding with the National Press Day.

The Vice-President inaugurated the valedictory event while the function was presided over by PCI chairman, Justice Chandramauli Kumar.

The vice-president in his speech said that there was a credibility crisis as far as the media of current times are concerned.

“If media is credible, then all the challenges will fall in line,” he said. He also welcomed the media students from Jammu and Kashmir for their participation in the National Press Day event.

Pointing toward media students from Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Textiles, Smriti Zubin Irani in her speech said that they (students) are the future of mass communication and journalism.

“I wholeheartedly welcome the media students from Jammu and Kashmir who have made to this event for gaining professional exposure. They should spend time with the journalists and world body of journalists here to hear about the stories which never made to the print.

The deliberations at the event this year were centered around the theme ‘Challenges before the Media’. The National Awards for Excellence in Journalism were also conferred at the event.

The function was also attended by Director, Department of Information and Public Relations, Jammu and Kashmir Government, Muneer-ul-Islam and other officials of Information Department.

Pertinently, a group of around 40 media students from Jammu and Kashmir attended the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Press Council of India on Thursday. They are accompanied by the faculty members of the respective media institutions.

The tour is being organised by the Department of Information & Public Relations (DIPR) to provide a platform to the media students from the state to interact with participants from across the world including World Association of Press Councils, Press Associations, Media Councils and the Media Professionals during their visit to Delhi.

Earlier, during the day Minister for Works, Mr Naeem Akhtar, who was on an official visit to Delhi, interacted with the media students from J&K over breakfast at Vishwa Yuva Kendra. He was inspired by the enthusiasm of the media students, who expressed their desire to explore latest professional avenues in the field of media.

Of late, DIPR has initiated various measures to create professional avenues for J&K’s media students, both within and outside the State, and also help sharpen their core skills for the emerging job market.