Amity University Madhya Pradesh Organizes
National Seminar on Role of Media in Nation Building
Amity School of Communication, AUMP, Gwalior organized a one-day National Seminar on the Role of Media in Nation Building. The seminar saw 16 media professionals and academicians contributing to the discourse on media’s role as a building block.
The seminar was inaugurated by an illuminating address by Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen. VK Sharma AVSM (Retd.). Hon’ble VC stated how media’s role in a country like India cannot be sidelined.
The seminar commence with the keynote address of the Chief Guest, Senior Journalist and OSD to the Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr. Rajkumar Bhardwaj on development and media. He put forth his views on the significance of Hindi language for developmental purpose. Guest of Honour Dr. Pradeep Krishnatray, Director Research and Strategic Planning, Centre for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins University, New Delhi spoke about social media as a tool of nation building.
The inaugural session also saw the release of the book of proceedings comprising the research papers received for the seminar, as also the release of the cover of the soon to be released Biannual Amity International Journal of Media Studies.
Dr. Archana R Singh, Professor, School of Communication Studies Panjab University, who chaired the first technical session, discussed the problem of sticky floors and glass ceilings faced by female journalists, and how the scenario for women is changing in the media industry. Dr. Pushpendra Pal, Head of Journalism department, Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Mass Communication, Bhopal, spoke on the concept of peace building with the use of media, and how peace building as a concept is becoming complex with the technological surge.
The first parallel session was chaired by Dr. Neeru Johri, Head of the Department of Communication Studies, JIIMS, New Delhi, who spoke on the significance and connection of media and human rights. Dr. Mukul Srivastava from Lucknow University talked on social media discourses available with regards to media’s role in nation building. Dr. Surbhi Dahiya from IIMC, New Delhi talked about media’s significance in a democratic nation state and what role can it play as an agent of change. A discourse on cinema’s role in developmental activities was presented by Dr. Amitaabh Srivastava from Galgotias University, Noida.
In the last parallel session, Dr. Sukhnandan Singh of Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication, DSVV, Haridwar gave a talk on spiritualism and media, along with Dr. Vijayalaxmi Iyenger, Director BM College, Indore who co-chaired the same session and spoke on media and economic development and how they are co-related.
The valedictory session was chaired by Dr. Ambrish Saxena, Director, Vivekanand Institute of Professional Studies, New Delhi, who shared his views on how freedom of press is not only significantly required, but has to pass through the gate-keeping model. Guest of Honour,
Dr. Umesh Arya, Chairman, Department of Advertising Management and Public Relations,
Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar had an interactive question-answer session with the students on media and education, and how the right education leads to the building of talent in an appropriate manner.
Dr. Girija Shanker Sharma, Head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Agra University, discussed how community radio can play a significant role in nation building and can take communication to the grassroots. The seminar received about 20 scholarly papers from across the country that were presented during the seminar. The research paper of Prof Dilip Xalxo of Loyala College, Chennai was adjudged the Best Paper Presented during the National Seminar. The event concluded with Hon’ble VC’s closing remarks and a consolidated report on the seminar and vote of thanks by Dr. Sumit Narula, Organising Secretary of the Seminar and Deputy Director, Amity School of Communication.