Nandini Magazine Editor Maini Mahanta received
USTM Media Excellence Award-2018

GUWAHATI, 6 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. |