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Charkha Development Communication Network, a social organization which gives prominence to village social issues in the media through writing, celebrated its 29th Foundation Day on Thursday at the India Islamic Culture Centre, New Delhi. The winners of the Sanjoy Ghosh Media Award were also honoured on this occasion.
Azad Foundation founder Meenu Vadera was present as the chief guest in the program. The program started with the lighting of the lamp and tribute to Charkha founder Sanjoy Ghosh. On this occasion, Charkha President Usha Rai outlined the programs run by the organization in different states of the country. He told how Charkha not only develops the writing ability of writers interested in writing on social issues in remote rural areas of the country but also tries to connect them with the mainstream media. Presently making special mention of Project Disha with the young girls of Garud and Kapkot blocks of Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand, she said that due to this, they are not only becoming successful writers but are also challenging the patriarchal society by becoming aware of women's rights.
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Addressing the program, chief guest Meenu Vadera described the work started by Sanjoy Ghosh and his vision as an important effort in the development of rural society. While discussing the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (Irma), said that Sanjoy was in the junior batch of this institute. Sanjoy's vision regarding rural India was clear during his studies in the institute itself. He also wanted to give equal space to the voices of the people of rural India in the media as those of urban areas. The establishment of Charkha was part of his vision. Today, examples of the way Charkha is spreading social consciousness through writing in remote areas of the country are rarely seen. Praising the media award being given in the name of Sanjoy since 2003, Meenu Vadera said that on the one hand, it increases the enthusiasm of writers and on the other hand many stories of rural India emerge in the mainstream media.
Neelam Grandy, District Coordinator of 'Project Disha' run by Charkha in the Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand also addressed as the keynote speaker on this occasion. Referring to the situation before and after Project Disha in the area in the last 2 years, she told how in remote rural areas, women and adolescent girls had to go through mental torture in the name of tradition and culture. At the time of menstruation, when she needed the company of her loved ones the most, she was forced to stay away from home in the cowshed. Women and adolescent girls were not aware and empowered about their rights. But there has been a lot of change in the last two years. Adolescent girls have not only become aware of their rights but have also started writing against gender-based discrimination through articles. Which is also being published in newspapers and websites of the three major languages of the country, Hindi, Urdu and English, through the Charkha feature. Its impact is already visible at the ground level. Now the voice of adolescent girls is being given importance not only at the social but also at the administrative level. There are many such stories whose impact is beginning to be seen at the ground level. After joining Project Disha, the girls have succeeded in changing people's thinking against narrow-mindedness not only inside the house but also socially.
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On this occasion, a total of 6 participants in two categories were honoured with the Sanjoy Ghosh Media Award for the year 2023 based on their writings by Charkha President Usha Rai, Chief Guest Meenu Vadera and Neelam Grandy. While in Category 1, two independent journalists Aishwarya Mohanty of Odisha and Jigyasha Mishra of Uttar Pradesh were awarded, in Category 2, young teenage girls selected based on writing were Syeda Tayyaba Kazmi from Poonch in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, and Kamrun Nisa from Ladakh, Uttarakhand respectively. The award was given to Mahima Joshi from Lambagad of Garud block in Bageshwar district of India and young writer Jyoti from the national capital Delhi. Winners in all categories were awarded for articles on challenges faced by rural adolescent girls and women in society.
On this occasion, Mohd., a senior writer from Mandi Block, Poonch, Jammu, who has been writing articles on various social issues for Charkha for the last 11 years and has become synonymous with change in the area, was present. Riyaz Malik was honoured with the Charkha President Award. In the program, the girls associated with Project Disha, Seema Mehta, Pooja Goswami, Mahima Joshi, Kavita Rawal, Tanuja Bhandari and Deeksha, enthralled everyone by presenting a puppet play based on social awareness under the guidance of District Coordinator Neelam Grandi and the direction of Kamala Koranga. . At the end of the program, Chetna Verma, Chief Executive Officer of Charkha, thanked all those who have contributed and are continuously contributing to the progress and development of Charkha.
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