The Rajendra Rawat Jan Sarokar Samman was presented to social worker Dhoom Singh Negi of Tehri while the Girish Tiwari ‘Girda’ Jan Kavi Samman was presented to poet Niranjan Suyal. The Umesh Dobhal memorial award 2015 was to be presented to historian and archaeologist Dr Yashwant Singh Katoch but he was unable to attend the function. In addition to this the Umesh Dobhal memorial awards to journalists for 2014 were awarded to Pankaj Gairola from Pauri (electronic media), Neha Pant from Dehradun (print media) and Chandra Shekhar Kargeti from Haldwani (social media).
The awards comprise cash, citation and a shawl. These awards were presented at the Umesh Dobhal memorial silver jubilee function held in Pauri. Chief Minister Harish Rawat was also slated to attend the programme but he was unable to do so. Historian and author Prof Shekhar Pathak, Pauri district magistrate Chandra Shekhar Bhatt, Superintendent of Police Ajay Joshi and Umesh Dobhal Memorial Trust president Govind Pant inaugurated the programme here on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, Prof Pathak exhorted journalists to report about various injustices without any fear. Journalist Anand Swaroop Verma stressed that in the era of globalisation the common man appeared to have gone on the backfoot. “The public resistance to injustice appears to have hit the bottom at present but this is a passing phase. The rich have become more powerful while the condition of the poor continues to deteriorate. Journalists need to overcome various challenges in order to effectively raise the voice of the public. Public resistance generated by information in the media is effective in resolving injustice,” he said.
Expressing his views, the UDMT president Trust president Govind Pant said that the people of Uttarakhand had experienced mostly frustration and grief since State formation. Earlier, on Tuesday a cultural procession was taken out in the town and an arts and photography exhibition was also inaugurated as part of the Umesh Dobhal memorial silver jubilee celebrations.