Arun Kumar Rasaily Receives Prestigious 'Devrishi Narad Sarthak Jeevan Samman' 2025

KalimNews, Kalimpong, May 30, 2025: Renowned and senior journalist Arun Kumar Rasaily was honored with the Devarshi Narad Sarthak Jeevan Samman 2025 during a special ceremony organized by the Vishwa Samvad Kendra, North Bengal, to mark the celebration of Devarshi Narad Jayanti. The event took place at the Gorkha Dukha Nivaran Conference Hall in Kalimpong and was attended by various prominent figures from the local and national journalism community.

The ceremony began with an introduction of the distinguished guests by Shyam Dahal. Rasaily, who has been a dedicated journalist for many years, was presented with the prestigious award in recognition of his invaluable contributions to Nepali journalism since 80s. Dr. Rajendra Bhandari presided over the event, with Dr. Vishwapratim Rudra as the keynote speaker and Manas Ranjan Bannerjee as the special guest. Dr. Sameer Kumar Ghosh delivered a thought-provoking speech, highlighting the significance of the occasion.

In his address, Dr. Ghosh remarked on India’s role as a source of inspiration in various fields such as culture, science, politics, and journalism. He expressed concern over the growing trend of praising foreign practices while undermining India's own cultural, scientific, and journalistic traditions. Dr. Ghosh emphasized that the Vishwa Samvad Kendra was established to counter such negative influences and promote the values of truth and integrity in journalism.

Keynote speaker Dr. Vishwapratim Rudra, a specialist from Siliguri’s Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, shared his insights on the role of journalism in India, describing the country as a land of festivals and traditions. He highlighted the responsibility of journalists to uphold truth and integrity, following the example of Devarshi Narad, who was not only a creator but also a pioneering and honest journalist. Dr. Rudra encouraged the audience to study Narad’s character and adopt his principles of journalism. He also mentioned that the Vishwa Samvad Kendra has been honoring journalists across the country for the past 25 years.

Award recipient Arun Kumar Rasaily, in his acceptance speech, expressed his gratitude for the recognition. He dedicated the award not only to himself but to all the journalists in Kalimpong, acknowledging their collective efforts. Rasaily emphasized that the true purpose of journalism is not to seek awards, but to provide honest, accurate, and unbiased news with integrity.

Dr. Rajendra Bhandari, the chairperson of the event, spoke about the rich history of India, noting that the country was under foreign rule for over a thousand years. He discussed how foreign rulers attempted to erase India’s art, culture, and traditions but ultimately failed. Dr. Bhandari stressed that India has successfully revived its ancient traditions, art, and culture and that journalism plays a critical role in this process.

The award ceremony also recognized several other journalists for their contributions to the field, including Jilas Gahataraj, President of the Kalimpong Journalist Association, Arun Kumar Rai, President of the Kalimpong Press Club, and journalists like Mani Lama, Mukesh Sharma, Umesh Tamang, Hem Sapkota, Yovan Mothay, Anuraj Pradhan, and Pratik Lepcha. These journalists were honored with traditional khadas (scarves) and mementos presented by the organizing committee.

The event, which began with a ceremonial lighting of the lamp by the chief guests and dignitaries, also featured a group patriotic song performed by the committee members. In his speech, Rasaily emphasized the importance of collective effort in journalism and reaffirmed that the award is a recognition of the entire journalistic community in Kalimpong. He urged fellow journalists to remain committed to the core values of truth and integrity.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Mahesh Gupta, who expressed gratitude to all the attendees and participants.

This recognition of Arun Kumar Rasaily highlights the ongoing commitment of the Vishwa Samvad Kendra to celebrate and encourage the role of journalism in fostering truth, integrity, and national development.