The Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Subharti Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut, marked National Press Day by organising a national seminar titled “Nationalism and Journalism.”
Dr. Santosh Ashish, Deputy Director, Centre for Communication, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, graced the event as the Chief Guest. Shri Raghwesh Asthana, Managing Director, Mahua TV, and Dr. Harish Chandra Burnwal, Senior Journalist, joined as Special Guests.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Santosh Ashish emphasised the crucial role of the media as the fourth pillar of democracy, highlighting its responsibility in ensuring accurate and responsible dissemination of information. He noted that journalists significantly contribute to nation-building by delivering credible news.
Shri Raghwesh Asthana discussed the challenges faced by regional media, stating that it constantly strives to serve the nation while ensuring its own survival, an ongoing and complex responsibility.
Speaking on the impact of digital platforms, Dr. Harish Chandra Burnwal stated that digital media has expanded the scope of journalism tremendously. He added that the unrestricted nature of social media enables journalists to practice truly nationalist journalism more freely.
Sharing historical insights, Major (Dr.) Deshraj Singh, Chairman of the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Chair, explained how Netaji effectively used media to communicate with the masses. He recalled that hundreds of youth joined his army after hearing his inspiring broadcasts on radio.
Senior journalist Shri Neeraj Kumar also shared his views on the theme. The event was graced by several distinguished guests, including Senior Journalists Harbinder Singh and Dilip Kumar, along with Prof. R.P. Singh, Prof. Ashok Tyagi, and Roshan Kumar.
The programme began with a warm welcome address by Prof. Ritesh Chaudhary, Head, Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Subharti Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. Priyanshi Bhatia, a BAJMC student, efficiently anchored the event, while Dr. Santosh Gautam served as the coordinator.
The seminar was successfully organised with the support of Dr. Ashutosh Verma, Dr. Preeti Singh, Ram Prakash Tiwari, and Tarun Jain. The media team included Alok, and Tushar, and several students Megha, Tanu, Sakshi, Janhvi, Anushka, Harsh, Aditi Nehra, among others were also present throughout the event.
