Mass Comm building inaugurated

The Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Gen. (Retd.) S.F. Rodrigues, PVSM VSM called upon the media to play a pro-active role in upgrading educative strategies for enabling our people to face challenges successfully, in this competitive world. The time has now come for our newspapers and different media to mobilize our human resources for the efforts needed to develop the potential of our people, for carving out a niche in different fields of endeavour.

Addressing a Seminar of Mass Communication professionals, after inaugurating the Art Block of Mass Communication in Panjab University, here today, General Rodrigues said that there is a need for evolving an action plan by interacting with society at large, in the context of the problems facing the country in its march towards progress and prosperity. He emphasized that the image of our country, which is known for its ancient culture and civilization, reflecting our unity in diversity, must be projected in the right perspective in the comity of nations. The media, which have a global impact, can play a vital role in this process.

General Rodrigues said that India has a bright future ahead with huge opportunities for our people. Sincere efforts are being made, at different levels to achieve the goal of 8% sustained growth and various surveys have indicated that India is on its way to become one of the world’s largest economies. We have to empower the 260 million people living below the poverty line to be effective instruments in this process of growth and economic development. Our Universities and education institutions will have to reorient and restructure their educational strategies, to produce professionals, technocrats and skilled people to, meet the growing demands in different sectors of economy. He appealed to the media to generate an awareness among the people to develop their capacities and capabilities, to be active partners in this fast changing scenario.

General Rodrigues said that, in our own humble way, we have initiated the process for changing the attitudes and mindset of our people and improving their quality of life through participative endeavour.

Mr. H.K. Dua, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune Group of Publication and an old alumni of the Mass Communication Department, while sharing his experience of the student days, appreciated the healthy trend of more girls joining the profession of journalism and doing their duties with courage and confidence.

Mr. Shekhar Gupta, Editor-in-chief, Indian Group of Newspapers, while sharing his experiences said that rapid advancement in the field of journalism have taken place and there is a great demand of people of Mass Communication in different sectors all over the world. He lauded the role of Department of Mass Communication of Panjab University for producing talented people in this profession, who made mark of their intelligence, honesty and integrity.

Prof. K.N. Pathak, Vice Chancellor of Panjab University in his welcome address said that the Department of Mass Communication is one of the oldest department which trained large number of professionals and are serving the society. He said that number of seats of journalism are being further increased to meet the growing demand. He said that the mass communication department has been accommodated in this new building constructed at the cost of Rs. 83.50 lakhs.

General Rodrigues went round of the new building and appealed to the Vice Chancellor and Professors of Mass Communication to the innovative and create facilities with latest technologies in the field.