GANGTOK, May 25: Governor Sudarshan Agarwal said the freedom of the press is the most integral part of democracy.
He was speaking at the Ram Patro Memorial Award ceremony on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of SIKKIM EXPRESS as a daily newspaper at Mangla Mansion here yesterday.
While stating that journalists have a greater role in leading society in the right direction, the Governor urged the local journalists to report on rural and social issues alongside carrying out initiated investigative journalism and emphasized reporting on the effective implementation of centrally sponsored schemes in particular the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for the welfare and betterment of the rural folks across the State.
According to him, Mass Media are the shepherds of the society and that the shepherds depending on its guidance and leadership can vulgarize, brutalize, and help lift the society to a much higher level. “I hope the fourth estate would perform its sacred duty of awakening the society through honest, sincere, investigative and effective journalism on social issues pertaining to the society at large,” he opined.
Governor Agarwal also handed over the Ram Patro Memorial Award to two State aspiring journalists, Sagar Chettri and Yishey Doma
While Sagar was conferred with the trophy alongside a certificate of appreciation and a citation of Rs 5,000 for the most promising journalist of the State for 2007-08, Yishey was awarded the best working journalist in SIKKIM EXPRESS. The latter award also carried a memento, certificate of appreciation and prize money of Rs 5,000.
The Ram Patro Memorial Award Committee formed in memory of Late Ram Patro, founder-editor of SIKKIM EXPRESS, who pioneered and heralded positive journalism in Sikkim in the 1970s, is in existence in the State since 2005 and has been giving away awards with the sole objective to encourage young and promising journalists of the State.
Earlier, the president of the Press Club of Sikkim and also the Chairman of the Ram Patro Memorial Award, CD Rai talked about the importance of education as an effective tool for one’s progress and development which according to him is an effective means to enhance growth and prosperity of the community, state, and nation and of the world.
Applauding the duo award winners, Mr Rai highlighted the successful fostering of journalism in the state from the late 1970s ignorant and uninformed Sikkim to the present-day informed community.
The award function was also addressed by the editor of SIKKIM EXPRESS, Amit Patro and its associate editor Sarikah Atreya.
Also present were former MLA, JB Pradhan, publisher of SIKKIM EXPRESS, Mala Rana Patro, veteran journalists like Subhash Deepak, Ashok Chatterjee, Pema Wangchuk and officials from Raj Bhawan and members of the fourth estate.
http://www.sikkimexpress.com/otherstories.htm
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