Kolkata : A grand felicitation ceremony and an All India Poets’ Conference were organized in Kolkata to commemorate the historic 200th anniversary of Hindi journalism. The event was jointly hosted by Vaishali International University and Human Rights Today, bringing together eminent academicians, journalists, writers, and social activists from India and Nepal.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Guest Prof. Mohan, Vice-Chancellor of Sikkim University, and Special Guest N.K. Tripathi, Chief Vigilance Officer of Coal India, highlighted the rich legacy of Hindi journalism and stressed the importance of ethical values, credibility, and social responsibility in contemporary media.

Senior journalists from Nepal, including Rudra Subedi and Mohammad Sadab Malik, emphasized the need to strengthen media cooperation and cultural relations between Nepal and India through responsible journalism and people-to-people engagement.

The program was chaired by Shashibhushan Kumar, Editor of Human Rights Today and Founder of Vaishali International University, while Dr. Uday Shrivastava, Duty Director of the university, coordinated and conducted the event.

A major highlight of the celebration was the felicitation of 51 distinguished personalities from India and abroad for their contributions to journalism, literature, education, and social service. The honorees were presented with commemorative mementos, certificates, and traditional shawls.

Among those honored were Prof. Mohan, Prof. Shailja, Prof. Rakesh Kumar Singh, Dr. Surya Upadhyay, Syed Irfan Shaur, Dr. Bima Kumari, Dr. Reshmi Pandey Mukherjee, Dr. Suchetna Dev, M.N. Chaurasia, Pradeep Kumar Dhanuk, Desh Kumar Tripathi, Parvez Akhtar, Vishan Siswal, Tarak Nath Rai, Arun Kumar Gupta, Shivendra Bahadur Bhandari, Som Bahadur Gurung, Girish Gupta (Nepal), and several other distinguished figures.

The event also witnessed the participation of a high-level Nepalese delegation comprising Rudra Subedi, Ajmat Ali Siddiqui, Yuvaraj Pandey, Girish Gupta, Amar Bahadur Khadka, Som Bahadur Gurung, and Shivendra Bahadur Bhandari, among others.

The celebration not only paid tribute to the 200-year journey of Hindi journalism, which began with the publication of Udant Martand in Kolkata in 1826, but also reinforced the importance of cultural exchange and professional collaboration between India and Nepal.

The event concluded with a collective commitment to preserving journalistic values, promoting literary heritage, and strengthening cross-border cultural and media partnerships for future generations.