Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 21: Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh today said strengthening the nationalistic thought is the need of the hour for making India self-reliant and prosperous in every spare of life.
The Deputy Chief Minister was speaking at a function organized by the Journal Chanakya Varta on the topic “Prathvi Ka Surag – J&K aur Rajiki Chintayan”and release of special issue on J&K at Press Club here today.
Vice-Chancellor of Central University, Himachal Pradesh, Dr K C Agnihotri, MLC Ramesh Arora, Brigadier (Retd) Suchet Singh, academicians, journalists and people from different walks of life were present on the occasion.
Dr Singh said the media has important role in shaping up and building the nation by reporting objectively and truthfully without giving preference to any particular school of thought. He said the role of media has increased manifold in the present age of globalization and technological advancement.
The DyCM said Indian democratic set up has achieved much in a very short span of time. He said the nation is being recognized as one of the major powers in the globe both militarily as well as economically. “The initiatives being taken by the Centre has been instrumental in ensuring that our country has made substantial progress in every field and is being recognized internationally”, he said.
Dr Singh said certain forces and countries are trying hard to foment trouble in our country and they would be given a befitting reply. He said the country is fully capable of thwarting the nefarious designs of the antinational elements.
While complimenting the organizers for organizing the function, the DyCM said that the magazine is full of quality material and would be beneficial to the youth. “Besides it would also serve as a referral point to the students of history, politics and art,” he added.
The Deputy Chief Minister released a special J&K issue of the Magazine and later distributed awards among the Journalists, academicians, policemen and also special award was posthumously given to Captain Tushar Mahajan of Udhampur.
The others who were awarded included Rajni Sharma, Dy SP STF for saving life of a colleague, DySP Bharat Bushan Sharma for his successful campaign as SDPO Nagrota against bovine and drug smuggling. Shakti Devi Inspector who was the member of UN Peace Mission in Afghanistan.
The Hindi journalists who were awarded include Sanjeev Dubey of Amar Ujala, Vivek Singh from Dainik Jagran, Nishay Sharma of Punjab Kesri, Ashwani Gupta of Dainik Sewera and Uday Baskar of Dainik Baskar. Besides senior BJP leader Chander Mohan Sharma who has launched Save Tawi Movement, Dr Neelam Sareen a well known writer and Neenu Sharma former Editor of Sheraza were also awarded for their remarkable performance in their respective fields.
The function was also attended by Dr Amit Jain Publisher of Chanakya Varta and Komal Lalotra its J&K Bureau Chief.