Thiruvanathapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged Malayalee expatriates to act as ambassadors of the south Indian state abroad.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the Loka Kerala Media Sabha (global council of global Keralite media persons) organised ahead of the Loka Kerala Sabha (global council of Keralites) in the state’s capital Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
“The expatriate community is passionate about the development of the state. Kerala has initiated a number of development projects to create a knowledge-based community similar to that of developed and developing countries,” Vijayan said.
“It is not something that can be implemented in two or three years,” said the chief minister, pointing out that such plans take a long time for comprehensive execution.
R.S. Babu, chairman of Kerala Media Academy, who presided over the function, announced plans to set up a global platform for the Malayalee journalists across the world. The plan is to connect and collaborate with the journalists and make use of their experience and expertise for the development of the state and support them in addressing their concerns.
During the event, Vijayan presented the policy document of the third Loka Kerala Sabha to journalist Sashi Kumar.
Delivering the keynote address, Kumar said that it is a period when the media itself becomes news.
In connection with the World Kerala Media Council, a discussion was held on the role of expatriate media in the construction of Nava Kerala (New Kerala).
The concluding session of the World Kerala Media Council was inaugurated by P.S. Rajeev, minister for Industry and Law.
Indian Media Person Award
The chief minister presented the Indian Media Person Award of the Kerala Media Academy to visual journalist Barkha Dutt for her nationwide ground reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic. The award carries a cash prize of Rs100,000, a certificate and a sculpture.
The chief minister honoured 15 expatriate Malayalee journalists. He also released a documentary film on Sashi Kumar’s media career, titled ‘Unmediate,’ directed by T.K. Rajeev Kumar.
P. Sreeramakrishnan, vice-chairman, NORK ROOTS, an agency under the Kerala government for Non Resident Keralites’ affairs, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
