Pune: “Media should not be viewed merely as an entertainment but it is much more meaningful beyond entertainment and all the journalists should be aware of the same,” said Dr Aruna Dhere, President of 92nd Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Parishad on Monday.

She was the chief guest at the 79th Foundation Day celebrations of Pune Shramik Patrakar Sangh, (also known as Pune Union of Working Journalists) and felicitation ceremony of meritorious journalists and journalism students at Patrakar Bhavan on Monday.

In her address, Dhere said using the rebellious language for any issue is easy. “But believing and standing up for truly constructive and selfless ideas is challenging. The media can play a stellar role in standing up for society,” she said.

She touched upon the challenges posed by the rapid changes in science and technology on journalism and urged the young journalists and the journalism students to adapt themselves to these changes. She advised them to view reporting as a sacred responsibility and not merely a job.

A two-minute silence was observed in memory of late AB Vajpayee, Kuldip Nayyar, Pralhad Sawant, P Takawale and DR Kulkarni. 

Sangh members achieving glory in journalism and other fields and meritorious journalism students were felicitated during the ceremony. Dignitaries present at the function included Head of SPPU Department of Communication and Journalism Dr Ujjwala Barve, President and Secretary of the PUWJ Rajendra Patil and Pandurang Sandbhor respectively.