Udupi: Udupi District Working Journalists Association has entered its 25th year and is celebrating its silver jubilee. Against this backdrop, various schemes have been initiated to meaningfully celebrate the silver jubilee of the association. According to this, it is intended to hold a total of 25 programs throughout the year in 2023, said Mohammad Sharif Karkala, Chairman of the Silver Jubilee Committee.

Addressing a press conference in Udupi on Monday, March 13, Mohammad Sharif Karkala said that this program is being organized under the auspices of Udupi District Working Journalists Association, Udupi Press Bhavan Committee and Karkala, Kapu, Kundapura, Byndur, Brahmavara, Hebri Taluk Working Journalists Associations. We have already formed a reception committee and various other committees to make the Silver Jubilee programs a success.

Honorable Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai launched the Silver Jubilee program by releasing the emblem of Silver Jubilee celebrations on Jan 27 in Karkala. Similarly, on Feb 27, Shri Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala and Member of Rajya Sabha, released a request letter for Silver Jubilee celebrations and graced to success of the celebrations.

Now, preparations are underway to organize the opening ceremony of Silver Jubilee celebration on March 19 at 2 pm in the Nuthana Rabindra Matap of Udupi MGM College. The Literature, writers, artists, businessmen, public representatives of the district have been invited for this program. Its invitation letter will be released soon.

Udupi journalists have a special status in the history of journalism in the country. We have been working as a witness of Udupi district for many years. It is the hope of our association that we should work hard for the career development of journalists in this silver jubilee celebration. We also aim to establish a Journalists’ Welfare Fund of Rs.50 lakhs in this case.

The Udupi District Working Journalists Association, which was established after the formation of the new Udupi district, was inaugurated on April 12, 1998. Mr. G. K. Sathya, who was the then state president of the association, inaugurated our district association. We intend to celebrate that day as Foundation Day from this year.

Among the 25 programs of Rajata Mahotsava, the remaining programs are as follows. Association diary release, large health camp for journalists and their families, charity lecture, commemoration and award distribution, cartoon mela, state level cricket tournament, workshop for journalists, village stay by journalists, Phone-in programme, workshop for journalism students, photography competition, release of commemorative issue, honoring of senior journalists, journalist’s friendship gathering, cultural program of journalists, creation of book on deceased journalists, cycle jatha, interaction program with the state president have been planned.

Since the Rajata Mahotsava ceremony is being celebrated simply in the wake of election pressure, it has already been decided to organize the Rajata Mahotsava closing ceremony in a grand manner in the month of December. Discussions have already been made about inviting the Chief Minister in this.

We have also made a plan to expand the Patrika Bhavan building which is the head office of the Association, which is functioning at Brahmagiri Nairkere, Udupi. It is decided to run the silver silver jubilee celebration is about Rs. 2-3 crore. The association needs the help of donors for this mission. We hope that everyone will cooperate with this, he said.

Rajesh Shetty Alevooru, President of Udupi District Working Journalists Association, Nazir Polya, Secretary, Umesh Marpalli, Treasurer, Arun Shiruru, National Committee Member, Silver Jubilee celebrations Committee Secretary Jayakara Suvarna were present in the press conference.

Read more: