Institute of Integrated Himalayan Studies (IIHS) at Himachal Pradesh University will start research on media and disability and separate budgetary allocation would be made to conduct these research activities, Prof. S.P. Bansal, Director, IIHS disclosed this while inaugurating two days long workshop on “Media and Accessibility” here today.
The workshop was organized jointly by Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at International Centre for Distance Education and open learning (ICDEOL) and Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Hearing Handicapped, Mumbai. This workshop was first of its kind and was presided over by Dr. Om Gauri Dutt Sharma, Director of Doordarshan Kendra (DDK) Shimla. Students of Journalism and Mass Communication at HPU are participating in this workshop.
The convener of the workshop Ajai Srivastava, Associate Professor in Journalism, a noted developmental journalist and disability rights activist said that the University is organizing programme on disability communication for the first time and aims at sensitizing the young media professionals in this field. He said that media can play an important role in the empowerment of persons with disabilities. Seven subject specialists from Mumbai and Delhi will deliver their specialized talks during the two day workshop.
In his inaugural speech Director, IIHS Prof. S.P.Bansal highlighted the role of disabled in the all round development of the nation and called upon the participants to involve more number of such important people of society without any bias towards them. He said that this issue is being discussed globally and India has emerged as a trend setter for taking up the welfare activities of disabled in comparison to other nations. He stressed the need of learning a lot from the success stories of the disabled. He said that the IIHS will initiate research projects on media and accessibility.
In his presidential address Director, DDK, Dr. Om Gauri Dutt Sharma said that media has major and important role in bringing the plight as well as achievements of the disabled to the lime light. He said such training programmes would help in sensitizing the media students and professionals. He disclosed that DDK, Shimla is going to be satellite channel for which this centre would be connected with DTH network within three months.
Dr. P.J. Mathew Martin media officer from AYJ National Institute of Hearing Handicapped said that this institute would be organizing such workshops in every major university to sensitize the young journalists. Senior Journalist K. Kannan and Dr. B.S. Pawar, Director, M.S.Pawar Institute of Communication and Management, Solan also spoke on the occasion. Present among others were Prof. Sudesh Garg, Prof. H.S.Parmar, Prof. S.N. Ghosh, Dr. Inderjeet Duggal, Dalel Singh Thakur, Editor at ICDEOL, Anil Verma of AIR Shimla also participated in the workshop.
