New Delhi, October 16
The Centre for Media and Mass Studies (CMMS), Jamia Hamdard, hosted a landmark edition of its flagship lecture series 'Media Matters: Connecting People and Public Policy', featuring Prem Prakash, Founder of Asian News International (ANI), a doyen of Indian journalism whose work has chronicled India's journey from Independence to the digital era, a press release said.
The session was conceptualised and curated by Prof Farhat Basir Khan, one of India's foremost media educators.
"It was great to visit the fine campus of Jamia-Hamdard University to receive a plaque of Honour from VC Afsar Alam and speak to students of mass communication. Prof Reshma Nasreen & Prof FB Khan were present. Meeting young, enthusiastic students was a pleasure. God Bless them all," the founder of ANI wrote on X.
According to the press release, the highlight of the event was the dialogue between Prof. Farhat Basir Khan and Prem Prakash, which unfolded like a masterclass in the history of Indian media. Prof. Khan traced how Prakash began his journey with a modest Rolleicord camera, moved to 35mm cine film when television did not exist in India, and later built ANI, the nation's first video news syndication agency.
Their exchange delved into landmark transitions in journalism, from film to video, from government monopoly to private broadcasting, and from the analogue world to today's digital ecosystem. Prakash spoke of his early assignments documenting India's first Republic Day, the nation's wars, and his encounters with every Prime Minister of India to date.
"Journalism is not just about recording events; it is about understanding history and economics," he said.
Prof. Khan, in his remarks, described Media Matters as "a living classroom" that connects young journalists to thinkers who have shaped public discourse. He dedicated the series to Janab Hakeem Abdul Hameed Saheb, founder of Jamia Hamdard, calling him "a visionary who believed that education must enlighten the mind and serve the nation."
In his closing note, Prof. Khan highlighted that "the future of media will not be defined by algorithms or automation, but by conscience, creativity, and courage."
During the interactive Q&A session, students and faculty members posed insightful questions on artificial intelligence, ethics in the age of speed, and the sustainability of independent media. Prem Prakash responded with characteristic humility and insight, urging students to "be fearless, but never careless with the truth."
As per the release, Prof. Afshar Alam, Vice Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, called Prem Prakash "a living archive of modern Indian journalism." He commended the Media Matters initiative for "creating a platform that blends academic inquiry with the lived wisdom of media pioneers."
Dr Reshma Nasreen, Director of CMMS, welcomed the guests and the large student gathering, urging them to follow the ABC Mantra: Activism, Bravery, and Conscience. She emphasised that true success in media "demands patience, ethics, and endurance, qualities that both Prem Prakash and Prof. Khan embody."
The session concluded with Dr Saad Ullah Khan delivering a vote of thanks, acknowledging Prakash's invaluable wisdom and Prof. Khan's vision in creating a platform that blends the academic, the artistic, and the ethical dimensions of media, the press release stated.
- ANI
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