Republic day fellowship cricket match between DM XI and Press XI

Darjeeling, January 26, 2008: It was a finish, too close for comfort but the District Magistrate (DM) XI managed to pull out a sensational win in the first ever Republic Day Invitational Cricket Cup against the Darjeeling Press XI thus lifting the winner’s trophy. The weather was perfect along with the backdrop. The mighty Kanchenjunga towering on one side and the gothic St. Joseph’s school building on the other, gave it a true feel of an English Cricket day.

The crowds that had gathered at the picturesque North Point ground in Singamari were treated to a humdinger with the contest going to the final over of the match with the Darjeeling Press XI needing a singe run and the DM XI needing to see off the final two balls.

In what was an even contest Rajesh Pandey {DM} captain of the DM XI won the all important toss and decided to bat first in an alien pitch to set the Darjeeling Press XI a daunting target of 110 runs.

The DM XI started their innings cautiously but lost their first wicket in the second over of the day with the score reading sXI. After that it was a mXIture of caution and aggression for the incoming batsmen who at the end of the inning managed to set a target of 110

losing seven wickets in the process. With his hard hitting style Danny Bhutia scored 44 runs giving respectability to the total which otherwise could have restricted the DM XI in setting a low target. For the five Darjeeling Press XI pacers each of them picked up a wicket with two run outs affected by brilliant piece of fielding.

Having a stiff target ahead the Darjeeling Press XI openers went about their job collecting runs in singles in the initial overs. But after having the feel of the pitch and the conditions the openers went for their shots scoring at a brisk pace. But the first set back came with Passang Bal {DIO} being given out caught behind in the third over by the umpire when it was clearly visible that the ball had come off his elbow. The loss of his partner however did not deter Deep Gazmer from pelting the bowling to all sides of the park as well as taking cheeky singles to accumulate 56 runs, the highest in both the innings during his stay at the crease.

But with wickets falling at close intervals the Darjeeling Press XI failed to build up partnerships so crucial for an inning to survive the pressure of a huge total taking the match to the wires.

The last over raised the palpitation level of the crowd as well as the players to a swell with the score reading three runs to win off four balls of the last

over it was all to play for both the sides. However, the Darjeeling Press XI got a jolt when Gazmer at his scintillating best and playing a gem of an inning was unfortunately run out the very next bowl leaving the team needing a single run off the last two balls.

The Darjeeling Press XI finished their inning at 109 runs for the loss of five wickets, one shot of the target giving a memorable win the DM XI in the first ever cricket match between the district administration and the press of Darjeeling.

Later a group photo session took place with the winners and runners up trophy which was followed by lunch at the pavilion. The DM, winning captain, expressing his satisfaction in winning the match said that such interaction should be frequently organized for a cordial relationship between the administration and the press.

FREEDOM OF PRESS

Darjeeling, January 26, 2008: The political party which has constantly been playing the self proclaimed role of liberator, harbinger of democracy has finally shed its mask and sent democracy for a six. “Self constraint and Gandhism,” virtues that could not be sustained for too long.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on January 25, issued a diktat that all should abstain from reading the Himalaya Darpan Sambad Patra- the largest circulated Nepali vernacular daily, allegedly for its “one-sided” news presentation from the 26^th January till the 2^nd February 2008. On the 26^th January there were silent threats to the paper vendors not to display the paper in the news stalls in Darjeeling. However in Kalimpong, defying this undemocratic diktat Himalaya Darpan sold like hot cakes.

Along with various Press Associations of this region, Darjeeling Press Guild too vehemently protests against such Fascist moves. It is time such political parties come to their senses and realize that Darjeeling is a part of India, the world’s largest democracy and Press is the Fourth Pillar of a democratic system of governance. Gone are the days of feudal lords and their high handed ways. Welcome to the civilized 21^st century.

Political parties should further realize that a newspaper is not a party mouthpiece and its job is not just to keep a particular party, association or individual happy. Our job is to report the truth objectively.

This is not the first of its kind incident in the Darjeeling Hills. During the Gorkhaland agitation too the GNLF had called for a ban of “Sunchari” a Nepali vernacular daily. Time and again media persons have received threats, been physically assaulted and their homes vandalized just because they fail to serve narrow political interests. Various political parties have outdone each other in creating obstacles in the independent functioning of the press. They have gone as far as dictating news presentation also.

The need of the hour in the Darjeeling Hills is democracy- a word which remains confined in the dictionary only in the Hills.

It is our fundamental right to read what we want, say what we want and believe in what we want. We are our own masters. This is the whole essence of democracy. This is what our country is all about and our ancestors made the supreme sacrifice for.

Let us not be made slaves once more.

Asato ma sadgamaya,
Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya,
Mrityorma amritamgamaya

Oh Almighty! Lead us from the unreal (falsity)
to the real (truth) from darkness to light!
From death to immortality!

Netaji's birthday commemorated

Darjeeling, January 23, 2008: Netaji Subash Chandra Bose's 112th birth anniversary was commemorated by the Darjeeling Press Guild. Members offered floral tributes on Netaji's bust located at the Ladenla Road, Darjeeling. This statue had been unveiled by Lieutenant Tej Bahadur Subba of the Indian National Army on 21st October 1971. People from all walks of life paid their respect to the Prince of Patriots on that day.

Country's first media university

HT EXCLUSIVE - Coming soon, country's first media university

Chetan Chauhan
New Delhi

THE COUNTRY will soon have its first media university, with the government deciding to grant full fledged university status to the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC).

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has decided to convert IIMC into a university with powers to grant degrees and conduct research in the media, a sector growing at an annual rate of about 26 per cent. A bill to this effect will be introduced in Parliament this year, a ministry official said.

To be re-named as International Media University it will offer a , wide range of courses on journalism, advertising, public relations and associated sectors at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Only a few universities like Punjab University Chandigarh, offer postgraduate courses in journalism whereas some, like Delhi University offer an undergraduate , degree course in journalism.

Ministry officials said there is no specialised research on media in Indian universities like in Oxford. Research on media is part of the sociology discipline in India, an official said. The new university will also have a media monitoring unit.

The university will have powers to open media colleges all over the country to provide quality manpower to the growing media industry .

"In the last two years, the number of news channels has almost doubled and there are many in the pipeline. They need quality manpower, which the new university could provide," a ministry official said. The two IIMCs - in Delhi and Dhenkanal - are considered India's best media schools.

The ministry has also decided to convert the two film institutes, the Satyajit Ray Film Institute in Kolkata and the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune into international film schools on the lines of those in Hollywood.

chetan@hindustantimes.com BOOM TIME ¦ The I&B Ministry has decided to convert IIMC into a university with powers to grant degrees and conduct research in the media ¦ To be re-named as International Media University, it will offer a wide range of courses on journalism, advertising, etc

(Courtesy – The Hindustan Times, Delhi Edition, Nation- Page 14, Dated 10^th January 2008)

PRESS GUILD ELECTIONS COMPLETED

Darjeeling, January 9, 2008: The Darjeeling Press Guild- an association of working Press and Media persons elected its new Executive Committee for 2008. The seven member executive committee has decided to emphasise on activities with a social impact this year.
The Executive Committee constitues of

• Vivek Chhetri - President
• Deep Gazmer - Vice President
• Amitava Banerjee - General Secretary
• Suraj Sharma - Assistant Secretary
• Bimal Rai - Assistant Secretary
• Reza Pradhan - Treasurer
• Zafar - Assistant Treasurer