ITANAGAR, 28 Dec: PB Dasgupta (87), veteran journalist and founding father of the Arunachal Press Club (APC) and the Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ), on Sunday said that journalists are among the strongest agents of social change, provided they pursue their profession with a positive, ethical and responsible approach.
Addressing journalists during his visit to the Arunachal Press Club, Dasgupta appealed to mediapersons to remain bold, principled and fearless in their reporting, while also highlighting the negative aspects prevailing in society, in the larger interest of the people. He emphasised that exposing social ills through accurate and well-researched reporting is as important as promoting constructive narratives.
Dasgupta, who visited Arunachal Pradesh after a gap of nearly 20 years, inspected the APC premises, an institution he once envisioned during his tenure as a journalist with the Press Trust of India (PTI) and while serving as president of the then All Arunachal Pradesh Working Journalists Union (AAPWJU). He was accompanied by his wife.
Recalling the early days, Dasgupta became visibly emotional on witnessing a permanent, well-equipped press club for the working journalists of the state. He reminisced about the humble beginnings of the then Itanagar Press Club, which functioned from a small government-rented office at IG Park, and expressed happiness at seeing the dream materialise.
Interacting with journalists, Dasgupta narrated how the idea of forming the APUWJ and the APC took shape. He said that wherever journalism flourishes, there is a need for an organised body of working journalists and a press club to facilitate professional activities.
The APUWJ was formed in 1981, and with the support of just about 10 members, the proposal for a press club was formally placed before the state government in 1993.
A firm believer in ethical and research-based journalism, Dasgupta urged journalists to view their profession as a service to society and the nation, rather than a pursuit for personal recognition.
“Journalists should never expect appreciation. It is our duty and responsibility to serve society,” he said.
Dasgupta also recalled that during his time, Arunachal did not have a local newspaper, which prompted him to later found the state’s first newspaper, the Echo of Arunachal.
“We journalists have immense responsibility and also the power to shape opinions. This power must be used for the welfare of the state, by acting as a mirror to society,” he added, calling for unity within the journalistic fraternity for the greater good of the community.
He stressed that every report or visual disseminated by the media contributes to public opinion and therefore must be based on deep research, accuracy and a commitment to educating the people.
“A journalist should always remember that he or she serves not any individual, but the country,” he said.
Sharing personal experiences, Dasgupta said that though he was initially reluctant to work from Itanagar, he developed a deep attachment to the people of the state and continued to work here for over 24 years. He recalled that during his posting with PTI, the Northeast was facing serious challenges, and few journalists were willing to work in the region.
Dasgupta served as the longest-serving president of the APUWJ, from 1981 to 1995, and as APC president from 1982 to 1995. He also acknowledged the pivotal contributions of two other stalwarts – AK Bhattacharyya of the United News of India (UNI) and Prem Bahadur Rai of the Hindustan Samachar – without whose vision, he said, the APUWJ and the APC would not have been possible.
Earlier, APC President Amar Sangno and APUWJ General Secretary Sonam Jelly, along with members of both organisations, felicitated the veteran journalist and acknowledged his immense contribution to shaping the two bodies.
