ThisisNews Network
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday called upon journalists to play a vital role in arresting the general decline being witnessed in different spheres of life, saying that journalism too had not remained untouched by the slide.
Addressing a gathering of prominent journalists, public figures and former constitutional and political office-holders at a journalism awards function organised here by the Central India Press Club, Tomar, who was the chief guest, said the decline visible in society and public life was a matter of concern and the media had an important responsibility in confronting it.
He said journalism had traditionally played the role of a watchdog and had contributed significantly to strengthening democratic institutions. At a time when standards were perceived to be declining in several spheres, journalists needed to introspect and reaffirm the values that had given the profession its credibility and public standing.
The function brought together an unusually distinguished gathering of personalities from public life and journalism. Among those present were Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, State Cabinet Minister Vishwas Sarang, former Punjab Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Rajya Sabha Member Rajneesh Agrawal, former Chief Election Commissioner of India O.P. Rawat, former Union Minister Suresh Pachouri, Lohiaite leader Raghu Thakur, State BJP General Secretary Rahul Kothari, former bureau chief of The Indian Express in Bhopal and threafter Resident Editor Indian Express and Senior Editor with Hindustan Times Chandrakant Naidu, senior journalist and founder of the Madhav Sapre Sangrahalaya Vijay Dutt Shridhar, senior television journalist Rahul Dev, veteran journalist and owner of Swadesh newspaper Rajendra Sharma, and The Vice Chancellor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication (MCU) is Vijay Manohar Tiwari.
The prominent speakers included Narendra Singh Tomar, former Dainik Bhaskar editor Mahesh Shrivastava, former Punjab Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Lohiaite leader Raghu Thakur, senior journalist and Madhav Sapre Sangrahalaya founder Vijay Dutt Shridhar, and senior journalist Rahul Dev. Their addresses covered the changing nature of journalism, its responsibilities in a democracy and the challenges confronting the profession in an era of rapid technological and social change.
The occasion also recognised a number of distinguished journalists for their contribution to journalism. Some of the prominent recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 were Mahesh Shrivastava, N.K. Singh, Dr Suresh Mehrotra, Rahul Dev, Chandrakant Naidu, Rajendra Sharma, Rambhuwan Singh Kushwaha, and Lalit Shastri. Retired Commissioners of the Department of Public Relations, Government of Madhya Pradesh, were also honoured.
The gathering, marked by the presence of veterans from journalism, politics and public institutions, also served as a reminder of the long journalistic tradition of Madhya Pradesh and the contribution made by generations of journalists to public discourse and democratic accountability.
The central message came from the Assembly Speaker – that if journalism itself is experiencing a decline along with other institutions and spheres of public life, journalists cannot remain passive observers. They must help reverse that decline.
The award function brought together some of the most recognisable names associated with Madhya Pradesh’s political, constitutional, cultural and journalistic life, making it a significant occasion for the state’s media fraternity.
The recognition for Lalit Shastri comes after a journalistic career spanning more than four decades. He has headed the Madhya Pradesh bureaux of leading national newspapers, including The Hindu and The Asian Age, and has been associated with investigative journalism as well as environmental and wildlife reporting. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of ThisisNews.org
