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. |