Vaddarse award conferred on Journalist Vijayalaxmi Shibrooru
Udupi: “People’s representatives should be made to realise that they are public servants and are chosen to serve the people and not to rule over them,” said social activist S R Hiremath.
He was speaking after presenting the Vaddarse Raghuram Shetty Journalism award to Suvarna Cover Story fame’s Vijayalaxmi Shibarror in Brahmavar here on Sunday, July 24 at the Bunts Auditorium. The programme was organised by the Brahmavar Zonge Working Journalists’ Association.
“These days people’s representatives are ashamed to be called as public servants. They assume that serving the people is a cheap job to do. When they come seeking votes, the public should tell them straight in the face that they are meant to work for the people. When they fail to serve the people, we have the right to protest against them. Democratic values are less understood by the people today. In a democracy, the highest office is held by the citizens,” Hiremath added.
Chitthuru Prabhakar Acharya, president of the association, presided over the function. Janaki Brahmavar (president of Tulu Academy), Eshwar Daithota (senior journalist), Jayaprakash Hegde (former MP Udupi-Chikkamagaluru), Jayakar Suvarna (president of Udupi district Working Journalist Association), Rohini (district information officer), Sheshgiri Bhat, Ashwath Acharya and others were present.
Vasanth Giliyar delivered the introductory remarks. Rajesh Ganiga Achladi welcomed the gathering. Chandrashekar Beejadi compered the programme.
The day long Vaddarse Raghuram Shetty workshop was inaugurated by Dr Mohan Alva (Chairman of Alvas Education Foundation Moodbidri). Dr Alva praised Vaddarse Raghuram Shetty and said that Shetty was a distinguished journalist who had foreseen the future of journalism many years ago.
The members of the Brahmavar Working Journalists’ Association handed over a memorandum to the district minister in-charge Pramod Madhwaraj, who was the chief guest of the function. The association demanded the government to constitute a state award for journalists in the name of Vaddarse Raghuram Shetty. They also demanded a permanent building and land for the association in the memorandum.
