Charkha celebrates its 19th founder's day

Charkha Development Communication Network felicitated writers from Ladakh and Jammu with the "Sanjoy Ghose Media Fellowships" on the occasion of its 19th founder's day function.

B G Verghese, veteran Journalist, was the Chief Guest at the function, which was held at the Siri Fort Auditorium here on Saturday.

The day marks the birthday of Sanjoy Ghose, grassroots social activist who established Charkha in 1994 with the belief that people must be heard at the policy level if development processesare to benefit the poorest sections of society.

He saw youth as a powerful force for change and sought to tap their potential as catalyststo help the most vulnerable.

. Verghese recalled the days when Sanjoy Ghose started working with URMUL and appreciated Charkha for not only carrying his dream forward but to highlight the voice of the rural and marginalized communities surviving in some remotest of locations.

"Charkha is illuminating the lives of people ignored by Government and media alike," said Verghese.

Through communication skill building exercises and imparting an understanding of schemes and policies, Charkha enables rural communities to report on and address issues of social concern. These writings are disseminated as 'Charkha Features' to the national and regional media through India's only Trilingual Feature Service in Hindi, English and Urdu.

The Media Fellowships are part of Charkha's efforts to bring out untold stories from regions that are remote and difficult to access.

A short film showcasing the activities that involve youth in development efforts in the conflict-affected border district of Poonch along the Line of Control was screened at the event.

Over the last few years, the organization has supported Charkha's initiatives to draw out writings from Jammu and Kashmir through media awards.

The awards carry a citation and required the awardees to write six articles on their chosen theme. The awards have been selected by an eminent Jury comprising senior media persons based in Delhi and in Jammu and Kashmir.