Bureau
New Delhi . Shri Jaipal Reddy, the Cabinet Minister will inaugurate the first academic session of the School of Journalism and New Media Studies of Indira Gandhi National Open University. SOJNMS is launching its academic activities for the year from 24 August 2009. Two new full time on campus Masters Degree Programmes are being launched this year onwards. IGNOU, having established itself as a benchmark for Distance Learning all over the world, in its twenty fifth year is venturing into dual mode of instruction. The full time MA in Journalism and Mass Communication and MA in Electronic Media Production and Management are a part of this endeavour. Director SOJNMS Dr. Shambhu Nath Singh will welcome the gathering of esteemed guests and enthusiastic students at this occasion and acquaint with the school’s new initiatives.
Mr. Vinod Mehta, the editor-in-chief of Outlook Group is also among the guests of honour. Former editor of the men’s magazine Debonair; founder-editor of India’s original weekly newspaper, The Sunday Observer; and editor of The Independent and The Pioneer dailies, Mr. Mehta is a master brewer who, over 30 years, has perfected the art of making the important interesting, and shown that good journalism needn’t be bad business. Alive and articulate, quirky and contrarian, Mehta will be able to guide what journalism students should do and on how they should approach the craft of writing.
K S Sachidananda Murthy, Resident Editor, The Week and the Malyala Manorama is another Guest of Honour. As the Secretary-General, Editors’ Guild he has been instrumental in coming up with a code of conduct for print media. He is the perfect person to address the dilemma faced by the budding journalists between being ethical and being famous.
Dr. Warren Mellor, Director a.i. and UNESCO Representative to India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka shall also address the gathering. His educational and teaching experience will benefit the students.
Dr. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, IGNOU Vice Chancellor will preside over this function that is supposed to mark the beginning of the intellectual journey of the newly admitted students to the school. To be held at the Convention Centre of IGNOU Campus, the inaugural sure will offer some healthy food for thought.
