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USTM Media Excellence Awards Conferred
USTM Adopts Holistic Approach for Social Transformation
GUWAHATI, 5
July 2018: The University of Science & Technology Meghalaya today honoured
media personalities from the region recognising their contribution in the field
of News Media giving legitimacy to people’s voice and augmenting the role of
media as the “Fourth Estate”. The Awards were conferred today on the occasion of
USTM PR Day-2018 held in a glorious function presided over by Prof Nirmal Kumar
Chaudhury, former Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University while the Chief Guest of
the event was former Meghalaya Governor Shri R S Mooshahary. A galaxy of media
persons and dignitaries from the region, including Mr PJ Baruah, Executive
Editor, The Assam Tribune and Dr PK Goswami, Vice Chancellor, USTM has graced
the occasion.
This year’s USTM Media Excellence Award went to four media stalwarts of the
region:
Mr Zarir Hussain, Chief Managing Editor, News Live Television; Mr Dileep Chandan,
Editor, Asom Bani; Mr Samudra Gupta Kashyap, veteran journalist & author and Ms
Maini Mahanta, Editor, Nandini. The USTM Media Achiever Award-2018 went to eight
senior journalists from the region. They are: Mr Sujit Chakraborty, Special
Correspondent, IANS, Tripura; Mr Satyanarayan Misra, Staff Reporter, Dainik
Purvoday; Mr Imtiaz Ahmed, Senior Reporter, The Telegraph, Guwahati; Ms
Monmoromi Mahanta, Journalist, Prag Channel; Mr Mridul Haloi, Sub Editor, Dainik
Janambhumi; Mr Aafaque Hussain, Staff Reporter, The Shillong Times; Ms Tinakali
Sumi, Senior Sub Editor, Nagaland Post and Ms Evanjoplin Dkhar, Senior Reporter,
Meghalaya Guardian, Shillong. The awards were handed over to the recipients by
the eminent dignitaries.
Delivering his keynote address on “Role of Universities in Outreach Activities”,
Padma Shri Manas Chaudhuri, Managing Director, The Shillong Times, said that
universities have immense responsibility in shaping the future of a generation
by community engagement, public service and knowledge exchange, apart from its
main areas of teaching and research.Another keynote speaker on the occasion was,
Shri Prasanta Rajguru, Editor, Amar Asom. Delivering a lecture on “Role of
Universities in Socio-Political Awareness”, Shri Rajguru said that educational
institutions are temple of knowledge and universities being the highest level of
educational institution, have a great deal of responsibility in creating social
and political awareness among the people.
Addressing the gathering, Shri RS Mooshahary, former Governor of Meghalaya said
that there are very few private universities that have seen such level of growth
within few years of their establishment as USTM has experienced. Delivering the
media awards, Shri Mooshahary said that media too has its social
responsibilities and it can play a positive or negative role in the society. He
urged all media persons to contribute positively to the society and the country
as a whole.
Shri Mahbubul Hoque, the Chancellor of USTM, stated that it has been a
challenging journey for USTM which began with only six students in 2011 and now
the University takes pride to have more than 5,000 students. The University has
adopted a holistic approach for social development, besides its consistent
mission towards development of individuals and the society in the field of
education. The University’s outreach programmes and activities are gradually
being expanded to reach those areas and people requiring support and assistance.
“We are placing the University Progress Report in front of media and other
dignitaries in this USTM PR Day”, he said.
It must be mentioned here that USTM is the number one private university in the
region – the “people’s university” as it is known—and has been putting its full
efforts to stand in its true sense. USTM has generously opened the door for the
poor and underprivileged meritorious students of the society to continue higher
studies in this University with the provision of “Free Education” thus not
letting poverty to be a hindrance in education for the deserving candidates. The
provision is also applicable for the children of the media fraternity as they
hardly receive such support. The University has adopted a “Pay Back Policy” to
encourage the students to qualify the prestigious competitive examinations. USTM
has also introduced Pay Back Policy to return entire course fees to students who
qualify the NET/SLET examinations to encourage the students and to create the
competitive mood among the students.
Another significant outreach programme of the University is that, each
department of USTM is entrusted to adopt one village and students/faculty help
the villagers to help themselves by linking them up with agencies, banks &
enabling them to articulate and solve their problems. The programme has received
good response so far. Again, USTM has a Community Bank from which 50% of the
profit goes to emergency help from time to time.
In the health sector, USTM has been trying its best to reach the society in its
own capacity by establishing Help Desk in Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute, by
organizing numerous Blood Donation and Free Health Check up Camps. In its effort
to help the differently abled people of the region, the University has started
work to establish an institution for them where the physically challenged ones
can avail free academic and vocational education that would help them to make a
livelihood. The NSS cell of USTM has organized many rural educational camps in
different locations of the North East.
USTM has always been in the front row whenever the subject of women empowerment
comes. One of such projects has been the “USTM Driving School for Women” which
aims at empowering women, especially those who are economically weak, school
dropouts, widows, single mothers and the like by enabling them to earn a living
by taking driving as a profession. USTM also announced several media fellowships
for journalists of the region. The call for the fellowships will take place
towards the end of this month. In 2011, the University opened the International
Centre for Gandhian Studies (ICGS) with the purpose of conducting research
activities and nurturing the basic philosophy of Gandhiji.
The holistic nature of the approach of USTM is also reflected in the
University’s association with the Bachpan Bachao Andolan of Nobel laureate
Kailash Satyarthi who was given a platform to launch the Meghalaya lap of his
Bharat Yatra. For the benefit of the students from the region, the University is
engaged in regular interaction with media and has been arranging interface of
media with academia through educational programmes like “Gyan Darshan” in
Pratidin Times, “Gyan Prabah” in Prag Channel and “Gyan Charcha” in Doordarshan
Kendra. Moreover, the University has signed different MoUs with premier
Universities and Institutions of Eminence from within and outside the nation to
encourage faculty development and facilitate students to face real life
situation better.
Since its inception in 2011, the University has organized several talks by
nationally and internationally acclaimed stalwarts. The annual academic memorial
lecture in the memory of APJ Abdul Kalam gives the students an opportunity to
listen to top personalities in significant fields. The University has conducted
more than 20 National Seminars while more than 400 research papers have been
published in various national and international journals. Apart from holding the
North East College Principal’s Conclave, USTM has provided career guidance to
more than 10,000 students from the North East during its annual flagship event
for youth called North East Graduate Congress. More than 10 national level
counseling sessions on career opportunities have been organized by USTM for the
benefit of students.
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