#Pahalgam : “What you see and read about Kashmir may not really be true always”‘Lehar’ NGO organised a meaningful “Pahalgam Media Summit 2016” in Kashmir in May. This was its second edition and was held at Pahalgam … the crown of beautiful Kashmir.
The first edition was organized by Lehar in July 2015 at Srinagar.
Kashmir has remained to be a place of ‘conflicts’ despite its warm and friendly people who want to live a normal life with respect and dignity progress and flourish in different fields.
However, the old issue of its very existence and being continues to be the bone of contention of the ever rising conflicts between the state and its people, represented by some aggressive fighters whom we the media and the army calls as militants and many out there in Kashmir address as Mujahideen or freedom fighters.
This particular media summit .. an initiative of ‘Lehar’ (NGO) was welcomed by all. Since, it touched and discussed the role of media both print and electronic media.
Some important points that were raised and discussed during the three days’ Media Summit by the speakers, participants and audiences were as follows:
“Pahalgam Media Summit 2016” brought about an intermingling of ideas with distinguished media persons of the country including Ajay Garg, Klayani Parashar, Ghulam Dastagir Pathan, Rajesh Sharma and Rafat Nayeem Quadri during a panel discussion.
The panellists urged the dire need of the hour to bring more and more media personnel to Kashmir and allow them to get a first hand feel on their own.
It was also suggested that the Kashmir officials, NGOs, professionals, activists and all those who want Kashmir an integral part of India to flourish to come out and narrate the ‘True story of Kashmir and what actually is happening there …organise programmes using their rich culture and traditions as well and portray the right image of their state before the audiences in big metro and big cities of India and then everywhere.
So that more and more people are attracted to visit and understand Kashmir and Kashmiris without indulging and playing into the hands of the vested interested lot.
“Pahalgam Media Summit 2016”, organized by Lehar in collaboration with JK Tourism was hailed by the audiences in general despite their agreeing with the topics and at times even disagreeing.
However, the biggest INDIA being thebiggest democratic set of the world handling J & K …where army has become the ‘here to stay’ guest and where militancy and opportunitism by some has become order of the day … it is essential and very important to carry out a dialogue on a continuous and consistent basis.
“Initiatives must be taken to bring people and professionals to Kashmir and meet Kashmiris and experience the real reality Kashmir on their own and on the other hand, Take Kashmir’s true culture and its issues must be showcased by the right representatives and governments through various forums and programmes organised in an interesting way by reaching out to large number and decision taking people living in different cities of India by Kashmir’s stakeholders and not by Govt PR machinery and some vested interested leaders”
Rajni Shaleen Chopra, Director Lehar, delivering the keynote address for the Pahalgam Media Summit
Nirupama Dutt speaking at the inaugural function of the Summit
Prof Gul Wani, Director, UNESCO Institute of Madanjit Singh Institute of Kashmir University, speaking at the inaugural function.
Journalism students watching photography exhibition by Gaurv Kumar Sharma organized on the sidelines of the Pahalgam Media Summit.
Nirupama Subramanian, Resident Editor, Indian Express Chandigarh, with photographer Gaurv Kumar Sharma and eminent art historian Dr Alka Pande at Pahalgam Media Summit
Asma Iqbal, owner of Paradise Group of Hotels, Pahalgam/Daksum, with Dr Mir Faisal, a scientist with the international team studying black holes, at the Pahalgam Media Summit.
Eminent art historian Dr Alka Pande speaking during the session, “Agar firdous baroye zameen ast, hameen asto hameen asto hameen ast” (If there is a paradise on earth, it is here in Kashmir”, stated by Amir-e-Khusrau Dehluvi. According to Bilkulonline Reports,
Bureau Report
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