Srinagar, Sep 29: A 40-member delegation of students from the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, MES’s Abasaheb Garware College, Pune, visited the Rising Kashmir office on Tuesday, participating in an interactive session on the evolving landscape of journalism, emerging media trends and the challenges confronting journalists in the field.
The delegation was headed by Dr Vinay Chati, Head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, and accompanied by Assistant Professors Santosh Gogale and Diya Ostwal. The visit formed part of the students’ study tour aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of Kashmir and its social, political and media landscape.
The students took part in a brainstorming discussion with the Rising Kashmir editorial team, focusing on contemporary developments in journalism, newsroom practices, field reporting and the challenges journalists encounter while covering complex and sensitive issues.
The visiting delegation was received by Rising Kashmir Editor-in-Chief Hafiz Ayaz Gani, Executive Editor Fazil Qayoom, Special Correspondent Abid Bashir, Chief Reporter Shafat Malik, Online Editors Insha Sheerazi and Ada Bhat, and reporters Owais Gul, Idrees Bukhtiyar and Umar Raina, among others.
The RK management extended a warm welcome to the students and faculty members, sharing insights into the functioning of a modern newsroom—from news gathering and verification to editorial decision-making and digital dissemination.
The students engaged in an extensive question-and-answer session with the journalists, seeking their views on the present state of journalism, the pressures and challenges of field reporting, maintaining credibility and accuracy, and upholding ethical standards while covering sensitive and public-interest issues.
The interaction provided the students an opportunity to understand the practical aspects of journalism beyond the classroom—the demands of reporting from the ground and the changing relationship between traditional newsrooms and digital platforms.
The visiting students appreciated the hospitality extended by the Rising Kashmir team and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to interact directly with working journalists and gain first-hand insights into the profession.
As a gesture of appreciation, Dr Vinay Chati presented a memento to Editor-in-Chief Hafiz Ayaz Gani on behalf of the visiting delegation.
The interaction concluded on a cordial note, with both sides underscoring the importance of meaningful engagement between journalism education and professional newsrooms in preparing the next generation of journalists for the rapidly changing media environment.
