IT News
Imphal, Oct. 28
Fitting tribute was paid today to late veteran journalist Khelen Thokchom on his 62nd Birth Anniversary observed at Manipur Press Club here in Imphal today.
On the occasion organized by the Khelen Thokchom Trust (KTT) , media fellowship awarded to journalist every year since the inception of the trust was also distributed. Taorem Bishwajit Singh, Sub Editor of Sanaleibak, a Manipuri vernacularl daily published here in Imphal was selected as the KTT Media Fellow for the year 2022-2023. Topic of the media fellow is “Challenges in sustainable agriculture in Manipur’s limited paddy land resource”.
People from all walks of life attended the 62nd Birth Anniversary which was presided by President of All Manipur Walking Journalist Union (AMWJU), Wangkhemcha Shamjai, President of Editor’s Guild Manipur (EGM) Khogendro Khonmdram, Advisor and Trustee of the KTT , Irengbam Arun and the Founder of the Trust, Thokchom Memcha Devi.
Speaking on the occasion Prof. Arun of the Anthropology department , Manipur University while speaking on the occasion recalled his association with Khelen Thokchom when he was alive.
“My friend Khelen was an exceptional person in the field of journalism. He like academic discourse and debate with his friends while filing serious stories”, Prof. MC Arun said and added that Khelen tried to picturesque the causes, impact, role of people and government in different issues like Manipur integration among others.”
Professor Arun said Khelen gave priority to the context rather than the event or issue by collecting information from all related angles in his news reports. Remembering him is important as concerned to news reporting as well as in pointing out the mistakes in the system and the society, he added.
Khelen passed away on April 1 during his tenure as a special correspondent to The Telegraph, a Kolkata publication. His birth anniversary falls on October 27. Due to Ningol Chakouba festival the anniversary was observed a day later.
The gathering led by Thokchom Memcha, founder of KTT; Irengbam Arun, editor Imphal Free Press and the trust’s advisor; Khogendra Khomdram, Sangai Express Manipuri edition editor; and W. Shamjai, president of All Manipur Working Journalists Union led the gathering in paying tribute to the portrait of Khelen Thokchom.
Bishwajit, the journalist selected for the fellowship said that he was happy to choose him as media fellow for the current year. “Encouraging the present reporters by providing fellowship in reporting on various subjects will help reporters to minutely provide a through researched report. Such encouragement is a must in the present scenario.
In the name of modernisation many paddy lands in the state have been turned to industrial sites and minimised the arable lands against the objective of producing agricultural products to sufficiency. Measures to stop such situations and to find a solution will be highlighted in the fellowship reports with views and suggestions of experts, farmers, people and officials, he added.
This was the fifth media fellowship sponsored by KTT. It carries a fellowship amount of Rs 50, 000.
Previous year’s media fellow Huidrom Ronibala Chanum, reporter of Naharolgi Thoudang, was felicitated with a shwal and a certificate on the occasion. She shared her experience in reporting under the fellowship programme stating that she has got a new experience and learned many on reporting. She thanked KTT for giving her the opportunity.
KTT was initiated as soon as Khelen passed away to follow his path in journalism and guide young journalists to a proper stream of reporting as the departed journalist dreamed of in shaping Manipur.
