India’s premier institute for media studies, Indian Institute of Mass Communication concluded its most spectacular annual festival Media Mahakumbh today, in association with Facebook, ScoopWhoop and Ministry of AYUSH. The theme of the festival was ‘Women and Media’.
The highlight of the festival was a special performance by India’s most celebrated classical dancer and Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr. Sonal Mansingh. Dr. Mansingh, who kept the audience engaged by sharing mythological stories behind each presentation, said “It was important for one to understand the values and learnings from these stories and use them in the contemporary world today to find solutions to issues like gender inequality, excessive greed, environment pollution, etc.” The breath-taking performance ‘Sankalp Se Siddhi’ was an ode to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi.
“It is a pleasure for us at IIMC to host Dr. Mansingh. I thank her for providing our students the opportunity to see a glimpse of real Indian culture”, Said Shri KG Suresh, IIMC Director General and Festival Patron.
A festival bigger and better than before, a perfect amalgamation of knowledge and creativity – Media Mahakumbh aimed to provide everyone with a platform to empower and be empowered.
Shri K.G. Suresh, stated that “ The fest aims to highlight how the spirit of an independent media in a democracy as sturdy as ours democratises the public discourse and provides an inclusive platform for discussing opinions and orientations across the ideological spectrum”.
Another highlight event was ‘Guftgu’, a candid conversation, with RJ Sayema and brand communications expert Ms. Rajita Chaudhuri, who shared their professional and personal experiences with the students.
Talking about women and the media, RJ Sayema shared that “The true essence of feminism is equality. It is important to understand that feminism is not about bashing any gender, but about lifting each and every person”.
With thirteen competitive events, the fest served as a breeding ground for disruptively creative ideas. Events such as the Media Quiz, TV reporting competition ‘Perfect Prastuti’, marketing competition ‘Seal the Deal’, and lab journal competition ‘The Fine Print’, Yoga themed radio spot competition ‘Talaash-e-Awaaz’ (in association with Ministry of AYUSH) all showcased the power of path-breaking ideas. Some breath-taking performances were staged during ‘MahaNatya’ – Street theatre competition, ‘Jump Street’ – Dance competition and ‘Battle of bands’.
Dr. Anubhuti Yadav, Festival Director, shared that “The two-day festival did not only serve as a platform to discuss numerous socially-relevant issues, but also brought together all the stakeholders of the media industry – from media students who stand at the brink of joining the industry to seasoned professionals who have firmly established their space in the volatile media landscape”.
The festival concluded with the scintillating tunes of celebrated singer B Praak’s songs filling the entire campus and creating home in the hearts and minds of the audience, with hit tracks like ‘Mann Bharya’.
Media Mahakumbh 2019, the biggest media festival in the country, aimed to welcome all attendees to the wondrous world of media and was an event that surely had something for everyone.
