Bhubaneswar: The National Journalists’ Welfare Board Sunday celebrated National Press Day 2025 with a grand state-level event at Jaydev Bhavan in Bhubaneswar.
The event was jointly organised by the National Journalists’ Welfare Board along with Doordarshan, All India Radio (AIR), Press Information Bureau (PIB), Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), and the Academy of Management and Information Technology (AMIT).
The event was attended by Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan, Human Rights Commission Justice Shatrughna Pujahari, Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg and other dignitaries. The programme featured key discussions and a national seminar on “Preserving Media Credibility amid the Rise of Misinformation” was held as part of the Press Council of India’s National Press Day initiative.
Besides, editors, media experts, journalism educators and representatives from national information agencies participated in the panel discussion. Journalists from different states were also felicitated. Former editor of Samaja newspaper, Pramod Kumar Mohapatra, was honoured with the prestigious Utkal Sambadika Ratna Samman 2025.
As part of the programme, 34 senior journalists received monthly pensions, while eight late journalists were commemorated through memorial awards presented to top-rank holders in journalism courses across various universities and autonomous colleges in Odisha.
‘Media must verify news authenticity’
At the state-level National Press Day celebration held Sunday in the conference hall of the Information and Public Relations (I&PR) department, speakers emphasised that media professionals must verify the authenticity of every news item before presenting it to the public.
Former Professor Surya Narayan Mishra of the Political Science department, Utkal University, chief guest of the event, said the media has consistently upheld a clear policy toward safeguarding democracy. Highlighting this year’s theme set by the Press Council of India, he stressed that the media plays a decisive role in ensuring accurate public awareness while steering clear of misleading or false news.
Devilal Mishra, Assistant Professor at Ravenshaw University, stated that every fact needs deep scrutiny before broadcasting. I&PR director Anuj Kumar Das Pattnaik said that candidates appearing for various competitive examinations rely heavily on media for accurate information. He noted that credible news helps aspirants succeed at multiple levels and enhance their knowledge. He emphasised the need for responsible journalism and urged media outlets to refrain from broadcasting misleading content.
Director (Technical) Gurbeer Singh remarked that even unintentional false news can damage the society and democracy, highlighting the need for media representatives to remain vigilant. Senior journalist Pitabas Mishra also shared his views at the meeting.
Winners of the university-level Odia and English elocution competitions were felicitated on the occasion. In Odia elocution, Simran of Birla Global University secured first place, followed by Shashwati Priyadarshini of Utkal University and Barsha Nayak of BJB Autonomous College. In English elocution, Samina T Gandwa of KIIT University won first prize, while Krishna Priyadarshini Hota of BJB Autonomous College and Archita Bhanj of Birla Global University placed second and third respectively.
Shashank Shekhar Dash and “Paperman India” were honoured for their support in organising the newspaper exhibition. As part of the state-level National Press Day observance, the newspaper exhibition at Jaydev Bhawan was inaugurated by Additional Chief Secretary Hemant Sharma. The exhibition featured 501 newspapers and periodicals, including 93 magazines, 17 foreign newspapers, 240 Odia dailies and several historical publications.
Deputy Director Sucheta Priyadarshini introduced the guests, while Information Officer Rozalin Sahu coordinated the programme. The event saw participation from departmental officials, media representatives and intellectuals.