Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 05:
U-India Media Initiative awardees, Akoijam Sunita of The Imphal Free Press and RK Robindro of DDK Imphal were accorded a warm reception today at the conference hall of Manipur Network Of Positive People.
The U-India Media Initiative Award is instituted by Thompson Foundation and sponsored by the European Union.
In addition to Sunita and Robindro, four other Indians were also conferred the awards this year.
The award was conferred to Sunita for her feature article 'Who Will Keep The Promise' and Robindro for his five minute documentary film 'Lite Thy Life'.
Today's reception ceremony was attended by L Damudor, State Co-ordinator of Population Foundation of India, M Abhiram and president of AMWJU, Bijoy Kakchingtabam as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.
Rupachnadra Yumnam of ISTV and assistant station director of DDK Imphal, N Nandakumar also took part in the ceremony.
In his presidential address, Abhiram disclosed that there are about 78 NGOs working on HIV/AIDS while adding that their works need to be inspected and media have a great part in pursuing the non-functional NGOs to start functioning.
Bijoy Kakchingtabam observed that since the time when people were little aware of AIDS till today when most of the people are conscious of this dreaded disease, HIV victims are unable to disclose their infection for fear of ostracisation and discrimination.
To address this unfortunate phenomenon, print and electronic media are shouldering a heavy responsibility in the State, Bijoy noted.
Awards conferred to media persons in recognition of their service would be a huge moral booster working in this field, he said.