Constituted to provide a common platform to professional journalists of the Northeast India region, the North East Union of Working Journalists (NEUWJ) got off to a rousing start on Sunday with its first convention held at Guwahati Press Club.
Chaired by veteran journalist and NEUWJ president Joykanta Sarma and graced as chief guest by Pradip Baruah (Editor, Prantik), Shashi Phukan (Editor, Bismoi) and senior journalist Samudra Gupta Kashyap, the convention discussed several issues related to journalism and news coverage in the NE states.
Addressing the gathering, Baruah dwelt upon the need for a receptive mindset that would enable journalists of the region to master various languages for effective communication. Kashyap, while drawing upon his wide experience travelling the rugged terrain of the region for news coverage, said that stories are just waiting to be discovered for the enterprising journalists.
“When I began my career in The Indian Express, I was the only journalist working there hailing from this region. Happily, times have changed so that hundreds of keen young journalists from the Northeast are now manning major national media houses,” he said.
Aizawl-based journalist Malsawmpuia Ralte thanked the NEUWJ for its initiative to bring together journalists of this trouble-torn region. NEUWJ working president Nava Thakuria spoke of the need to put up a united front for journalists of NE region faced with many common, inter-related problems, as well as existential threats looming over mainstream media.
A souvenir edited by NEUWJ general secretary Manoj Agasti was released on the occasion by Phukan, with contributions on various journalistic aspects by K Vikram Rao, SG Kashyap, Bijoy Gurung, Snehasis Sur, Kenter Joya R, Prasanta J Baruah, Bibekananda Choudhury, Prakash Mahanta, Rupam Baruah, Ranjit Hazarika, Dr Satyakam Borthakur, Raman Bora, Hiren Sarma, Mubina Akhtar, KR Kamath, Rubee B Das, Oken Jeet Sandham and Bijoy Kumar Sharma.
Moderated by senior journalist Pulin Kalita, the meeting was also attended by Ranen Kumar Goswami, Siva Prasad Deka, Pankaj Nath, Rajat Baishya, Mukul Kalita, Samir Choudhury, Bipul Sarma, Apurba Kumar Das, Anup Biswas among others.
