Madhya Pradesh Press Club’s Mera Madhya Pradesh Program Concludes
Madhya Pradesh needs a cultural policy
Discussion held on “A Vision Document for Rising MP”
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh has immense potential in the fields of tourism, art, culture, and the environment. Proper and directed utilization of these resources can elevate Madhya Pradesh into the category of developed states. Such thoughts resonated today at Ravindra Bhavan during the Madhya Pradesh Ratna Alankaran ceremony, part of the 32nd Foundation Day celebrations of the Madhya Pradesh Press Club. In this two-phase event, nearly 19 personalities who brought prestige to Madhya Pradesh at national and international levels were honored.
In the first phase, the eminent personalities were felicitated.
The second session was a technical session focused on the development of Madhya Pradesh. During this session, titled A Vision Document for Rising Madhya Pradesh, experts from the fields of film, journalism, and industry shared their suggestions. Industrialist Gautam Kothari mentioned that while the Madhya Pradesh government is undertaking commendable initiatives in the industrial sector by introducing new policies, the state has limitless opportunities in tourism. He pointed out that the behavior of local vendors in the state, who treat tourists courteously instead of pressuring them to buy goods, attracts foreigners. He emphasized the need to promote culture, art, and handicrafts.
Madhya Pradesh should become a supportive state, not a competitor: Renowned TV journalist Sumit Awasthi opined that Madhya Pradesh is a state rich in natural resources, with a clean and healthy environment. While the state may lag behind its neighbors, he suggested focusing on becoming a supportive state rather than competing. He proposed the development of dry ports in Madhya Pradesh, as ports in coastal states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Odisha are saturated. Such initiatives could boost commercial activities, citing the earlier establishment of a dry port in Indore as an example. He also stressed the importance of fostering research.
Headlines should now be about talents returning from abroad: Awasthi suggested a shift in narratives, from reporting individuals moving abroad to stories of their return to Madhya Pradesh. He emphasized the need to create an environment in the state that encourages talents to return and contribute to its development. He stressed the importance of making the state a desirable and comfortable place for them.
Arts should receive the same encouragement as sports: Celebrated film actor Rajeev Verma from Bhopal urged the government to promote art and culture in the same way it supports sports. He advocated for the establishment of auditoriums in smaller cities, reservation for artists in jobs, and better facilities for them. While Madhya Pradesh is evolving into a film city, filmmakers are primarily attracted by subsidies and lower costs. He recommended imposing conditions on filmmakers to ensure proper representation of local talent in their projects.
A cultural policy is essential: Padma Shri awardee and renowned dance guru Dr. Puru Dadheech stressed the need for a cultural policy for Madhya Pradesh. He pointed out that the state is home to 11 schools of dance and music, making it imperative for the government to draft a cultural policy as a priority.
Dr. Naveen Anand Joshi, President of the Press Club, announced that a detailed report on the suggestions shared during the event would be prepared and presented to the government to aid the state’s development.
Honored talents are torchbearers of excellence: Governor Earlier, Governor Mangubhai Patel felicitated 19 eminent personalities who have brought honor to Madhya Pradesh in fields like art, literature, industry, and journalism. Nine of these were awarded the Madhya Pradesh Ratna Alankaran, while ten received the Madhya Pradesh Pratibha Samman.
In his address, Governor Patel described the honored talents as torchbearers of excellence, whose work instills confidence and vision to face challenges. He stated that honoring talent is a way of inspiring future generations and emphasized society’s responsibility to recognize and support such individuals.
During the event, Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanand elaborated on the significance of the Mahakumbh.
The Governor presented the Madhya Pradesh Ratna Award to:
Retired Vice Admiral Bimal Verma
Padma Shri dance guru Dr. Puru Dadheech
Prominent TV anchor Sumit Awasthi
Textile industrialist Gautam Kothari
Actor and playwright Sharad Saxena
Educationist Dr. S.P. Gautam
Mountaineer and Everest climber Jyoti Ratre
Veteran stage artist Rajeev Verma
Renowned writer Dr. Ramesh Nirmal
The Madhya Pradesh Pratibha Award was given to:
Major Aniket Chaturvedi of the Indian Army
Brahmachari Girish Verma of Maharishi University
Sandeep Kumar Singh, Bureau Chief of ANI News Agency
Social worker and educationist Jai Narayan Chouksey
Vice Chairman of AISECT Group Siddharth Chaturvedi
Industrialist Rohit Govind Somani
Social worker and educationist Dr. Devish Jain
Senior Correspondent of Patrika newspaper, Dipesh Awasthi
Young writer Divyansh Vyas
Megha Dixit
Dr. Naveen Anand Joshi, President of the Press Club, noted that the event celebrated nine stalwarts and ten distinguished talents who have made remarkable contributions in diverse fields, inspiring others. He also urged journalists to work for social values alongside their professional responsibilities.
The first session was moderated by radio jockey Ashish Dave, while the technical session was conducted by Press Club Vice President Rajendra Sharma. The vote of thanks was delivered by Don’t Secretary Ajay Pratap Singh.
