SILCHAR, July 4 - In a bid to seek answers to issues confronting India as a nation and its significant instruments of �nation building� like the security forces and mass media, Assam Rifles in collaboration with the Department of Mass Communication, Assam University Silchar recently organised a seminar on the topic, �Convergence of Security Forces and Mass Media towards Nation Building� at the Masimpur Military station.
Sharing his experiences with the gathering, Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (retd) underscored the importance of a subtle perception management and highlighted the need for a communication strategy towards addressing the lacunas in the media and military sector. In his words, �We are at war 24x7. There is a definite need for a perception management to deal with the issues where hard power is integrated with soft power.
Vice Chancellor of Assam University Silchar Prof (Dr) Dilip Chandra Nath termed the move as a welcome initiative towards understanding the factors within the two units of democracy at a greater detail. �With more than 200 diverse languages and distinct culture, North East assumes great significance in India�s approach towards a greater south-east Asian approach. The definition of a nation to the western clarifications has changed as compared over the years. The seminar was an excellent opportunity towards delving into the questions in details,� Prof Nath said.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof (Dr) Gyan Prakash Pandey, Head of the Department said that the media plays a pivotal role in harnessing the social structure, values and identity. He informed that the department has decided to open a course on �Military Communication� in order to understand the dichotomies in much detail in the academic sphere and steps are being taken to introduce the course at the university.
Expressing happiness over the successful conduct of the seminar, Major General Upendra Dwivedi, Inspector General North East thanked Lieutenant General Sukhdeep Sangwan, the Director General of Assam Rifles for gracing the occasion. He also expressed his gratitude towards university fraternity saying that the media and the military must discuss the issues and challenges towards the need for perception change.
General SL Narasimhan PVSM, AVSM, VSM (retd) along with noted journalists Subir Bhaumik, Samudra Gupta Kashyap, famed documentary film maker Moji Riba, cyber security expert Subimal Bhattacharjee, editor of Dainik Samayik Prasanga Taimur Raja Choudhury, Dr SM Alfarid Hussain, assistant professor at the Department of Mass Communication at Assam University Silchar and research scholars Arindam Gupta, Sutapa Misra and Mita Das also presented papers at the seminar. GOC Spear Corps, officers from Assam Rifles, Army, Air Force and CAPFs also attended the seminar.
