MEDIA AND POLICY MAKING ( An Abstract of my paper selected for BICON International Conference 2015)

Media play a quintessential role in the daily life of an ordinary human being. In the hegemony created by smart phones, selfie sticks, social networking sites comprising face book, twitter etc, media have given priority for trivial incidents these days. In the hustle bustle of the modern life, people find social media as their safe and quick source to express their opinions, criticisms and comments regarding the daily happenings around them. When new generation strives to express their viewpoints at the earliest on whatever issues, they try to impose their dominance over others and wish to become a hero. The online webs and portals have relegated the status of public opinion to gossips and scandals. My paper will begin by examining the role of media, The Fourth Estate in moulding the “public opinion” and how it varies from the “published opinion”. The online, social and broadcast media have given way for conventional journalism and now it is the era of “citizen journalism” and cut throat competition among individuals who try to become the content makers of the day. I would like to throw light upon the facts that constitute policy making like the identification of problem, policy recommendation, decision, implementation, evaluation and resolution.

Media corruption undermines Indian democracy and it’s quite hard to say whether there exists any difference between fourth estate and real estate. What befalls at times is that media distort the news and we find difficult to make the truth out of that. In order to substantiate this view, I would like to quote the statement of P.Sainath, the renowned columnist and Magsaysay award winner who once opined “if patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel, what the reader wants is the last refuge of every intellectually bankrupt editor on earth”. The arena of media is corrupted like anything and their squalid approach is competent enough to portray wholesale lies as news. In this context, I would like to hint on paid news that can be called a double jeopardy for democracy. The cancer of corruption has penetrated into every nook and cranny of the world and at least media should take some initiatives to get rid of the danger as they are capable of creating a resonance in the minds of multitudes.

Media may be free politically but imprisoned by profit. It is the dire need of the hour to get rid of the anaemic role of media so as to bring forth quality news and content to the public free from all kinds of biases. The paper would also give an idea on the recent trends in media namely whistle blowing, trial by media, sting operation, corporate dominance and political party dominance.

 I like to conclude my paper with an optimistic note that qualitative changes will definitely happen in media in the nearby future and policy making area in these days of media convergence thereby proving that media will become a part and parcel of the wifi life of us and policy making.

A TRIBUTE TO THE TEACHERS WHO FOSTERED ME FOR WHAT I AM NOW !!!!!!!

“The average teacher explains complexity; the gifted teacher reveals simplicity.” ― ROBERT BRAULT.....

My Dearest School Teacher Sister Jenova Mary

Dedicating this very special day to my utmost loving teachers Mohan Ramanan sir, Sr Jenova Mary, Sindhu Ma'am n all those who made me a mark and role in my life. I am utmost glad after talking to my dearest Mohan sir in the mng. I just cant express my feelings after talking to you,sir - your influence and inspiration as an ideal teacher, HCU Dean and above all like a caring grandpa heart emoticon heart emoticon heart emoticon .Thank you so much for ur words of positive energy and determination and wishes...Really glad after talking to my guide Bhoomika Ma'am whose sincere words only make me go amidst all the cultural and regional and religious disparities here and only my Anakha Ajith(meenukutty) n Kavita Jewaria know how I survive in this Bandarsindri village..Last but not the least, my dearest Arpana Ma'am who scolds and encourages me the most in CURAJ campus n someone who is like my Sindhu Ma'am r Girija Ma'am- A teacher whom I respect for the way she is..( even my dearest junior Kamini also shares the same view about her♥ heart emoticon .

Dr Bhumika Sharma,my Research guide cum mentor

Many teachers have taught and created many images in my life but some deserve a special mention inspite of race,religion,category, caste and they taught me not to confine to the prescribed books and go ahead "to strive, to seek and find " something new" and marks never determine our future instead the knowledge, content, how we perceive and make better use of them by implementing in real life.... Special mention to dear Abdul Azeez sir for expounding everything with the touch of my home state cum vernacular language and for teaching me "the culture of silence " which is the dire need of the hour in this campus especially as a Malayali and above all the so- called badge of "South Indian" as if like South African. My dearest Pallavi Tak ma'am for her smiling and usual inspiring face and really glad to share some moments with you and today's morning chat made me happy like anything and conveyed that to my mom n sis as well. Above all Jagdish sir,DP Negi sir, Vijay sir and Atiq sir for considering me more r less a part f their MSW dept and for giving me much opportunities to improve and prove myself. I am truly grateful.....wishing you all a very Great  and Memorable Teachers day.
When education and teaching are relegated to the  mere status of "praising and pleasing " the powerful authorities forgetting the dharma of a Guru-- The one who leads us from the dark and trails us to the light of knowledge, I suspect what the posterity will face as the teachers play a quintessential role in shaping the youth. Even the meaning and role we attribute to teachers undergo radical transformation these days.Still, I expect and conclude with a note of optimism that there will be teachers who strongly uphold the view that their role is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts.Looking forward to see my mother India brimming with such loyal and ideal teachers who can be called the real "makers of the society"

My Days as a college Guest Lecturer 

"MAN" and "INNER SELF"- PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE

Henri Frederic Amiel

Man being a social animal has to be the part and parcel of his surroundings and inhabitants.In order to ensure a peaceful co- existence with his fellow being, man has to curtail some of his personal liberties. Many a times, too much of individual liberty leads to social anarchy. In the hustle bustle of the new life style, he fails to satiate the needs of his heart but only the head. He is in the pursuit of materialistic pleasures and amassing wealth. Man lost the ability to think of his inner self as his urge leads him to fulfill mundane comforts. The dictum of Swiss Philosopher, Poet and Critic Henri Frederic Amiel deserves mention in this regard. He opines that a man who lacks the inner self is literally a slave to his surroundings just like the barometer that acts as an obedient servant of air at rest. When we are devoid of a mighty power or oracle to control or make us aware of the right and wrong in our doings, we become mechanical and our deeds will be to satisfy others. Modern man in the tech savvy world is in a race to gather whatever that gives him physical pleasures. His head and heart are in different paths and there occurs disharmonies to lead his life with rejoice. He forgets the fact that he has a life of his own and it should not be a mere surrender to others comforts. While he dashes to devour the external happiness of life, man really becomes a part apart from his own self. Unless we realize our mental desires and contentment, nothing else can substitute the essence of our entity. It is the dire need of the hour to get rid of the mere approval of worldly luxuries. We must give due importance to our feelings and emotions so as to have a proper balance of intelligence and information.

Dr.S. Radhakrishnan, the former President of India has rightly said long back that humanities and science should hand in hand and they are neither inferior or superior to each other. Similarly, in our real life also, we should not discard the great reality that our self must be given due significance. A life like a slave of others can never have a worth of its own. Even if we lack wealth or money or if we are not that affluent also, we can put up with those circumstances. Freedom and self expression transcend many aspects of life. A caged bird or a domestic animal craves for freedom than anything in life. We should have free thinking and our own dreams and aspirations. It should never be an obligation to a second person’s interests. We must be bold enough to follow what is right and what is our aim. If we lack the competence to know what is good for us, People will make us a mere slave to dance according to their tones. We will then have a life to please and praise others. 

Henri Frederic exhorts us to lead a life of our own and create some “fresh woods and pastures new” .As we all are created by the Almighty, all of us have us equal rights to have a life of our own in this planet where diversity of multitudes co exists.